The Age of Magic
by Allychik6
Summary: Prophecies, power, and princesses…mix in two bounty hunters, some magic, and dragon. What have you got? A very interesting story...
1. Chapter 1

**The Age of Magic**

Prophecies, power, and princesses…That's what good stories are made of. Dive into this world of mystery, magic, and make-believe and perhaps…just maybe, you'll find the truth you seek.

The room vibrated with activity, servants bustling around carrying bed linins soaked with hours worth of sweat and blood. They laughed and sang soft little lullabies as they worked to clear the large room. People crowded the doorway trying to catch a glimpse into the chamber, trying to see the new child.

"She's beautiful," The King smiled at his bride. "A wonderful Princess, another magnificent child."

The Queen let out a sigh, her face pale and clammy. "I'm glad, so very glad." She leaned back against the pillows both exhausted from the birth and unwilling to sleep.

They both gazed at the tiny baby. "Do you remember when Touya was born?" he asked absently, counting the little girl's fingers. "The celebrations didn't end for weeks. Poor boy," he gave a hearty chuckle. "He didn't like the fussing then and still doesn't now."

She let out a soft giggle of her own. "Yes, but that's the only thing we have trouble with him over. Did you see his nursemaid running for him the other day?"

"Your majesties," A servant bowed as he entered. "The Seer has arrived and she says she can see the baby now."

"Bring her on in." The King nodded while handing his wife the baby. "And tell Prince Touya to come and meet his little sister."

Once again, the servant bowed and left.

"You know Touya will want to hold her." The Queen smiled as she gently rocked the sleepy baby. "He was so excited when we told him."

"Ah, so this is the young Princess. Finally I may see the vision that calls me." A wrinkled and grey haired woman leaned against the door and the small child started fussing. A sense of unease filled the room, but it seemed only the child noticed it.

"Please proceed." The King handed her his new daughter.

The old woman closed her eyes and breathed deeply. "Yes, a wonderful daughter for the King and Queen. Smiling, happy, jewel of the kingdom." The old Seer's face took on a serene look as the scenes passed through her mind. But then she frowned, her head bobbing with the movement of the vision. "I see a quest with many people…A man full of greed and wickedness…" She paused and opened her eyes, eyes full of fear. "No one should see this girl, not servants, not subjects, not even siblings!" She wailed.

The Queen grabbed her child, clutching the girl closer to her breast. "You can't ask us to give up our little girl!"

While the Queen fretted over her daughter, the king approached the seer. "What do you see?"

The seer did not smile or frown, only weariness showed on her face. "Your daughter, she has the gift; she is the one needed to find the Last Dragon Egg. The ultimate source of power. For her protection, no on must ever know she is the Princess."

"But how can we do that?" The Queen demanded outraged. "It's impossible! This is my daughter and I refuse to give her up!"

The Seer bowed her head in respect. "As your majesty commands…"

**Chapter 1**

"Princess Tomoyo!" The servant knocked hesitantly on the door. "Princess! Oh, you must get ready for the ball tonight! Oh!" The young girl began to panic and she gently pushed the door open.

In the light, the room did enough damage with its stark white walls and gold inlay that blinded, with the furniture that stuck out at odd angles and scratched anyone who got to close. And the Princess always left tiny bits of paper and cloth everywhere, the floor, the tables, her bed, making it difficult not to walk on her precious belongings. And that was during the day, in the light.

At night, in the dark, the room told a very different story. Strange shadows played on the walls like a collection of strange monsters all fighting with each other. And a girl often stood among them, her image serene and still while the others danced about like some satanic cult. The furniture, with its odd angles gained newer and sharper teeth with which to terrorize the innocent. This young made herself had miniature scars that covered her arms and legs, telltale signs of battles won and lost. And for some reason, in the dark, a light breeze bustled about the common room, casting everything into motion. Definitely more creepy at night.

A wisp of movement from the corner caught the girl's eye and she spun about. "Please come out?" her voice warbled as something else caught her eye."…please?"

"Lila!" The servant turned around to face her mistress in the doorway. All the panic drained her face, color returned to her checks and in general she looked healthy again. "Shall we get ready for the ball?" The Princess asked and Lila nodded submissively. "Good!"

Tomoyo walked farther into the room as id unaware of the demonic furniture or hell-like darkness. "We'll need some more light for this. "And she threw open the curtains, throwing out the darkness and shadows. Suddenly it became a much more hospitable room, although still daunting. "That's much better. Now, Lila, what did you have in mind for tonight?" She asked her rather tall and skinny maid.

Immediately at ease, the young maid walked over to the closet. "I thought lavender would be nice. You do have that new dress and it matches so well with your—"

"Amethyst eyes, raven black hair, and pearly white skin, I know." Tomoyo finished the all too common compliment.

"Actually I was going to say your personality. Lavender is such a gentle color."

A small blush appeared over Tomoyo's nose and cheeks. "Oh Lilia, You're too good to me. Now, let's put that dress on before I'm late." She giggled.

Lila pulled the full length gown out of the wardrobe. It had a trim waist with little white flowers stitched into the sash and a lightly embroidered, flowing train. "This is it. The seamstress made it exactly as you drew it. She certainly has some skills; anyone who can follow your sketches would have to."

The curtains rustled and Lila shivered, remembering the room before the light and her mistress had entered.

"What?" Tomoyo asked.

"The rumors say your rooms are haunted." She shivered again. "People have seen things, heard whispers. Some are even afraid to come down this hall."

"But you do." Tomoyo prompted, anxious to hear the gossip.

"Well," Lila puffed out her chest no longer fearful. "Someone has to clean these rooms and if I believed everything the servants said then I wouldn't get out of bed in the morning." She did up the buttons in the back as she talked. "Some people even claim there's someone living in these walls."

Tomoyo grinned. "Well, you know servants and their superstitions." Her voice floated across the air easily, but her eyes darted around to ever slight movement in the room.

"Shall I do your hair?"

Standing in the dress, Tomoyo swished her way over to the mirror. "Umm, no, I think we can leave it down for tonight." She twirled causing the dress and her long hair to spin gracefully with her. "Come on!" She giggled betraying her young age of sixteen and pulling Lila with her.

Inside the dark room the drapes fluttered aside, revealing a pair of serious eyes. Watching, always watching.

In the occupied kitchen, cooks, maids, and butlers alike, all prepared for the eleven course midnight feast. They rushed to and for putting pans on burners, removing pots, slicing and dicing. Different smells of spiced bread, sweet meats, and exotic fruits all bombarded the senses, but these servants didn't even seem to notice them. From dawn until well after dusk, such was the life of the kitchens.

And they had only one law of the kitchen, obey the Cook or suffer the consequences. Maira, head cook, stood before her pot of bellowing orders louder then a drill sergeant and everyone rushed around hurrying to follow her orders. No one crossed Maira, not if they wanted anything decent to eat.

"Did someone get those spices? I need those spices now! If one of you—" She called and the whole kitchen froze.

"Fresh from the market."

Maira looked down, her small eyes narrowed as she inspected the little munchkin behind her. And then she laughed. "I should have expected you would get them Sakura. Only you know the best spices from my home planet. Let's see, cinnamon, dried basil—" She noticed the lack of movement around her. "What're all you looking at? Get back to work!" And the whole kitchen rushed to fulfill her orders.

"Got them trained well, even the little ones." The girl's small voice crept over the normal din, but just barely.

"Hump! Got to get them there, how else they gonna last?"

Sakura shook her head, her brown curls escaping their restraints. "Have you heard the rumors?" She stuck a finger in the pot and tasted the creamy soup.

"What rumors?" Maira dropped her voice as well as the spoon and saw the hesitation in Sakura's clear green eyes.

"If you haven't heard…"

"Girl, I've known you since you were born, maybe you can fool the Big People and the other servants, maybe the other believe that sweet little face o' yours. But I can read those eyes just like the old lady could. What rumors?"

"Prince Sal might be coming to the ball."

"But he was sent away in disgrace years ago by his family. Where did you hear this?"

The young girl looked around hesitantly and then whispered. "The docks."

"Stop being so shy girl, ain't nobody here gonna turn you in. at least not if they want to eat for the rest of their lives." Sakura smiled. "Now there's that smile I love. Now scat, I got work." She skipped happily away and Maira watched. "Prince Sal, now that's bad news."

Tomoyo laughed as partner after partner twirled her across the floor. She smiled gaily at each dip, twist, and turn, her happiness boiling over. And she sighed heavily at the end of each song. As well she should, everyone had gathered together to celebrate her birth.

Pompous aristocrats filled the large ballroom, each trying to out do the last in expensive costume, hair, and perfume. Bright, almost gaudy colors, swishy costly fabrics, and stunning jewels adorned each pathetic noble. None could shine more vividly then Princess Tomoyo and her luminous smile, although they certainly did try.

Rejoicing in the occasion almost as much as his daughter, the King took the hand of his dear wife. He pulled her swiftly from the seat sending her silver dress atwitter with light. Slipping a hand about her waist, he pulled his beloved close. And together they watched happily as their son approached their daughter for the traditional brother/sister dance. Touya bowed and Tomoyo curtsied as the music started. Another perfect evening.

Of course everyone watched, but only three sets of eyes attentively. Aramos, captain of the guard, the only one of the three with real reason, took his work very seriously and dared anyone to try something on his watch. Nothing had gotten by him so far. Over in the corner, a young man, as handsome as they come, watched with eyes unseen except by the third pair. He sided board by the tedium of the tradition, but watched nonetheless, his brown hair falling in his eyes. Standing among the nobles, unnoticed by all, a young woman watched. She herself noticed that neither of the other watchers would be able to prevent a catastrophe.

As the two siblings danced, the crowd parted for a late arrival. It was not a normal reaction to a tardy person, but then this was no normal person. The King stood his displeasure at the insult obvious. When the music halted, the poor man became the object of quite a few dirty looks. Dressed in a savvy black suit and looking as debonair as any man alive, the stranger melted the hearts of most of the women in the room. And he chose to walk straight up to Princess Tomoyo.

"Forgive my tardiness, Princess Tomoyo. "I am Prince Sal of Bet." He scanned the crowds and signaled the orchestra to play. "May I have this dance?" Sal bowed with grace and refinement.

Faced with such stunning beauty, Tomoyo could not say no. Sal took her hand in his and began the scandalous waltz. Together they flowed across the floor, rising and falling like the waves on a beach.

People stared in awe, unable to contain their astonishment. Hand in hand, it was a dance like no other and yet the difference refused to make itself known. Perhaps it was the music and the way the notes floated across the room. Or maybe it had something to do with the way Sal led the dance and how he stepped. But then again, perhaps not. Something in those few minutes held the audience captive, unable to move or speak.

Except for one. One person alone, in the room of hundreds, stepped deftly through the crowd, called forth by unheard words in the song. Only this person realized what had happened while everyone else stared in horror. But she could not prevent it.

A thick cloud of smoke filled the room, choking all the occupants. And when it disappeared, so too had Sal and the Princess.

Touya, the first to recover from the shock, charged the lingering smoke, but arrived too late. Panic, chaos, disorder ran through the nobles as the ran fearing for their rather pathetic lives. The Queen burst into tears, sobbing horribly as the King tried to comfort her and called the Royal Guards.

In mere minutes, a Royal council had been called for.

"Captain Aramos, what happened? Where is my daughter? The King demanded while still holding his wife's trembling body.

"I'm sorry sir; the best I can say is that Princess Tomoyo has been abducted." Aramos knelt before the Royal family. "I have failed in my mission."

Touya yanked him up by the collar. "We know that! Who took her and where? We have to get her back!"

"Enough Touya!" The King shouted at his son. "We can't act rashly at the moment; we need information. Captain Aramos, I put you in charge of that. Gather a team and find my daughter. I want her back, now."

"Your Majesty!" Aramos bowed so low his nose practically brushed the floor. "Right away." He hurried from the room and Touya followed in hot pursuit.

No one noticed the eyes in the corner.

**Allychik6: Hello all, so glad you've decided to read my next story. Okay, so I know a lot of you have to be confused...let me just say that it does all get explained...eventually. So just go with the flow for a while and everything will sort itself out. R&R!!! luv y'all lots!!**


	2. Chapter 2

**I know I know, long time no update...for me. Had exams...didn't do very well, grade cards came out...not very pretty...all in all not good. But, here it is, finally, at last! Chapter TWO!**

**Chapter 2**

Several days later, in a distant part of town, life carried on as usual. People crowded the streets in their quest to complete the day. Children scurried around playing and getting into trouble, as children were prone to. Mothers did laundry, made dinner, and other daily chores all the while screaming at the random child in their yard, be it their own or someone else's. Fathers hurried about their work, aiming to get home to their families.

"Did you hear about the Princess?" A vender asked, flirting with a young woman at least ten years his junior.

"Of course," She giggled. "It's terrible what happen. I hope they find her right quick. These are lovely ribbons."

"They're yours for a kiss." The lecherous man leered and the girl smiled, pecking him on the cheek.

Just an average day in the city.

"Eriol, are you sure no one's following us?" Two men walked down the street, not all that different from everyone else.

The first man stood out rather dramatically from the crowd with his blue hair, but that only really caused him to blend in further. "Syaoran," He glanced at the surrounding shops and houses. "Why would someone follow us? We're just two young men out for a quiet stroll through the city."

And the other man, Syaoran, glared at his friend. "Sometimes, you make me sick. Just keep your eyes open."

"You've been so paranoid lately, ever since we nicked that painting from Sal. Relax! Jeeze!" Eriol threw his arms in the air. "The world's not coming to an end."

"Yes, well, Prince Sal might decide to change that. You really shouldn't have insulted his manhood like that." Syaoran glanced from the street corner vender in time to see Eriol open his mouth in a retort. "And no Eriol, I don't enjoy being number one on everyone's hit list."

Eriol shook his head and paused. "Did you hear that?"

Syaoran spun around, eyes darting everywhere. "What?"

"It sounded like…" Eriol's gaze shifted across the street to a young woman some twenty feet behind them. "It sounded like…a paranoid Syaoran!" He burst into a fit of giggles that seemed just a little too feminine. "Lighten up man, you worry too much!"

"Let's just go home."

Neither noticed the stalker.

A scant five minutes later. The arrived at the typical city house, a small two story building with one tree attempting to grow outside. The paint had started chipping off the porch and someone had thrown a rock through one of the top windows. It obviously needed a few repairs.

"Okay Eriol, you can unlock the door any time now."

Wide blue eyes blinked back at Syaoran. "I don't have the key."

"But you always take the key!" Syaoran insisted angrily. "Get it out!"

Eriol shrugged his shoulders. "So I'm sometimes a little forgetful. You're the one who has the spare."

"Eriol!" Syaoran punched the door and it swung open. "Did you lack the door when we left?"

"Umm, you know, I don't really recall locking the door."

"Argh! Eriol! You can't keep downing these things!" And thus began the lecture on not leaving the door open for the world to walk in and how Eriol should be more responsible. That then quickly lead to a lecture on insulting certain higher officials and their choice of bed partners. "You have to be more responsible Eriol otherwise one day that mouth of yours could get us into a very sticky situation that I can't get us out of."

The door mysteriously slammed shut behind them and the boys immediately started searching the walls for the intruder. "We know you're here!" Eriol yelled, glaring at the darkest corner of the small hall. "I think he's in the corner." He whispered. "Just come out into the light."

"I'm right behind you." A soft voice floated to their ears.

Both Syaoran and Eriol spun about, but it was easy to tell who had the most grace under pressure. Syaoran did a little jump twist, using his surprise to his advantage, and landed firmly on his feet. Unfortunately Eriol tired to turn on one foot and ended up falling on his rear with a smack. From either position though, they both found themselves faced with a pair of striking green eyes and a laughing smile.

"Who are you? Syaoran asked, his eyes narrow and thin, while Eriol picked himself up off the very dirty floor.

"The woman who wants to hire you." She shoved passed them and stood under the only light in the hall. The single light bulb illuminated her caramel brown hair and soft face. "I need men of your skill and stature." She gestured towards the parlor both looking and sounding far older then Eriol or Syaoran had guessed. "But please, sit while you listen to my proposition."

After sending a fleeting glance at each other, they shook their heads vigerously. "No, we don't accept." Syaoran crossed his arms. "Now leave." No one dared to disobey that face.

But the girl merely walked farther into the room, not at all intimidated by his callous glare. "This is a nice little place, not too big, a rather homey feel." She fingered the carved wood of a chair and wiped dust off the tea cups. "Not much of a tea drinker, are you?" She looked at the two, all sweetness and innocence as she sat on the edge of the nearest chair.

"Well, I enjoy a cup now and then, but not Syaoran. He's more of a coffee kind of guy." Eriol's eyes followed her every movement as he too walked into the room.

Eriol plopped himself on the opposite chair and a puff of dust flew into the air. It didn't bother him thought, He leaned back looking more and more the smitten suitor. Syaoran continued to dislike the situation from afar.

"I need your help," the girl stated bluntly. "The Princess has been kidnapped as well you know, but we need to rescue her! It is imperative!" She implored them.

It took a moment for the words to sink in and then Eriol fell over the side of the chair and burst out in almost hysterical laughter. "You can't possible be serious, Darling!"

Syaoran shook his head at Eriol's lack of tact. "Look, the King and Queen don't want us to find the Princess; if they did then the Captain of the Guard would come. They wouldn't send a go-between."

"We've done business with the government before, hum." Eriol leaned forward and took her hands in his, rubbing the knuckles. "And trust me, you ain't them."

Her face lost the sweetness, and her eyes gained a new gleam in them as hard and beautiful as a diamond. She ripped her hands away from Eriol. "You won't help me then?"

"We don't do charity work."

And she smiled. "No, you don't, and usually you charge rather high prices. I did my research." She tossed a coin bag on the table. "If I recall correctly two thousand was the minimum Aramos ever paid you, in gold of course."

Syaoran turned the bag upside down and poured out the solid gold currency. The small coins splattered in the floor like the breaking of fine china, far more than two thousand. Eriol's mouth fell open in blatant awe.

"Syaoran! Do you know what we could do with that?" He gaped. "That's enough to—to—to—why we could—"

"Shut it Eriol!" Syaoran growled grinding his jaw. "Alright miss, you've bought our services. What do you plan to do now?"

Contagious happiness spread across her face and if Syaoran hadn't felt so irritated he might have smiled that same dopey grin Eriol had on. "We're going to find the Princess and return her to her parents. Now, I've got the schematics to Prince Sal's private rooms. They were stripped away from him several years ago for failure to abide by an official declaration of the king.

"What declaration?" Eriol asked.

She glared at him. "An official one. Anyway, no one's used it since then." She placed a smooth, round stone on the table about the size of her fist. The minute it touched the table, a 3D map covered the wooden surface and flowed over just slightly.

"Where better to hide her then right underneath everyone's nose." Eriol whistled. "And just look at that!" He pointed to the miniature guards moving down the tiny halls. "All that security, it'll be tight getting in and damn near impossible getting out. You've got to be crazy!"

"Not backing out are you?"

"Of course not! Just considering the best plan of action." Eriol defended himself.

"But you already have a plan." Syaoran accused suddenly. "That kind of money, this kind of information, you'd have to have a plan."

"Indeed, I have my connections. Now we can enter through here." She pointed at a hair line crack along the wall and Syaoran noticed those same cracks ran through the whole map. "It's a secret passage, completely unprotected."

"Wait a minute here," Syaoran stopped her. "First of all, how do you know all this?"

She paused and leaned back into the chair, green eyes closed. "When you live your whole life somewhere, you get to know it pretty well." She shot forward and pushed a finger underneath his nose. "So don't even think of trying to use this information to your advantage!" And a glare followed the threat.

"Alright, alright, little missy, we won't. Now, what's your plan?" Eriol attempted to calm her down.

Dead center of the map, she pointed to a room with only one door. "I believe she's being held here. Now, the trick will be getting rid of the guard and close enough." She then pointed to the hall around the corner. "There's a passage that ends here. You two will exit the walls here and get the Princess Tomoyo. From there, you will take the most direct path here." She pointed to another hallway not to far away."

Eriol immediately started memorizing the information, but Syaoran didn't even bother. Instead he asked, "What do you need us for? You know everything that needs to be done and how to do it."

A weary sadness crossed her features. "This is new to me; it would be unwise to attempt such a venture alone."

"What's your name?" He asked.

"Sakura, yes Sakura." She said as if trying it out for the first time.

* * *

"I'm worried about her." Maira sighed and sipped her mead.

"Which her?" Aramos asked and then clunked his cup on the wooden table. "Do you really think she's going to find the Princess? My own men haven't heard a single rumor and they're trained for this stuff!"

"My girl will find her, don't you ever doubt it. She pro'lly went to those two goons you usually hire. What were they're names again?"

"Eriol and Syaoran," He mumbled.

"Yea, them. I don't like it. She isn't old enough to handle these things no matter what the Old Lady said. She had too much faith in those two kids."

"Yea, that and a whole lotta other things I'm not happy about. I've dedicated my whole life to this royal family; she coulda had the decency to at least tell me!" He grabbed the bottle and took a long swig.

"But now I've told you. Only you and I know and we have to protect her. You know the Queen won't go for it." She snatched the bottle away from him. "And I been dealing with this secret for years."

"The Old Lady," Aramos rolled his eyes. "She drives me nuts even after her death."

"Yea, well, you'll be the death of me. How could you talk about men who barely stay on this side of legal while my girl was in the room! How do we know they won't take advantage of her?"

"How was I to know she was in the room! Besides, they won't."

"How can you say that! They broke into Prince Sal's home, although he's not my good list, murdered several men from off planet. They steal, cheat, swindle! And my girl is talking to them!" Maira slammed her fists on the table and the mead bottle bounced.

"Syaoran's the Dragon Tamer." Aramos took another mouthful from the bottle.

"I don't like that either. They're only sixteen! She hasn't had a chance to be child let alone be an adult and go save the world! Either of them!"

"And you think I like it?"

"Damn it!"

**Well, lovely, another cliffy...or would you count that as two? Tomoyo's still missing, but Sakura's gone to get help! And then, what's going on with Maira and Aramos? Who is this mysterious Old Lady and what's with the Dragon Tamer? Hopefully it will not take me three more weeks to update! Please leave a little Review!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Okay, someone said the last chapter was confusing, so I reread it to figure out what was so confusing. And I think the only confusing part was the last little section. Now, I would like to point out…if it wasn't meant to be confusing it wouldn't be. And in case you didn't figure it out, Aramos and Maira were talking about Sakura and Tomoyo…the girls. I'd explain the rest of it…but that'd be giving away a lot and I like my mysterious tendencies…so here's chapter three!**

**Chapter 3**

'That Jerk!' Tomoyo screamed to herself, kicking against the bed. 'How dare he?' She buried her face in the soft silk of the pillow and screamed aloud.

She sat up, feeling slightly better and took a fiftieth look around her cell. The warm colors on the walls and furniture still hadn't changed, and they looked as inviting as ever. Couches, tables, even fruit littered the room. Bright light, books and cloth to sew, a captive couldn't ask for better conditions. Tomoyo sighed heavily feeling both irritated and pleased at the same time. Unfortunately, the finery didn't just mean comfort. It also meant rescue was highly unlikely and escape didn't even register as a real possibility.

"Grrrrrr!" She threw the soft pillow, but it just made a small 'puff' sound as it hit the wall and then the floor. Tomoyo gave it her fiercest glare and humphed.

The key rattled in the lock, but she refused to give the door a first glance let alone a second one. A guard entered. "Follow me," he demanded.

Tomoyo shifted targets and gave the guard the full blast of her glare. "Not until you tell me where I am. I'm not going anywhere." She shoved her hands on her hips and looked at him saucily. There was a reason Touya hated to tell her to do things. 'And besides,' she thought. 'This looks like the palace's old architecture; someone will figure it out.'

The guard smiled, not a very reassuring expression, and grabbed her arm. "The master says you're to com and so you will." He gruffly yanked her to the door."

"No, no, no!" She wailed and clutched onto the frame.

And then the pressure on her arm was gone. The guard grabbled something and slid down to the floor. Two men stood before her, one bearing a very blunt object. Tomoyo didn't bother to ask who had just knocked out her guard; she knew a rescue when she saw one. It took only a few nods and a point for her to follow them down the hall.

They hurried in near silence as other guards in nearby halls ran about screaming in chaos. It gave an odd contrast to the silence Tomoyo and her rescuers walked in. Their words and noises made Tomoyo very glad they hadn't moved down those halls. A thick blue smoke crept into the hall and smelled sweetly of honeysuckle and burnt sugar. Something told Tomoyo that this smoke might have been the thing causing the chaos.

"Come on!" Syaoran pushed Tomoyo towards the wall. "We do not want to get caught by that." He started fiddling with the wall, smacking various places, pulling on different things. "Eriol, did Sakura tell you how to open this door?" Panic crept into his voice.

"What? You mean you don't know how to open the door? Who needs to learn responsibility now?"

"Oh shut up Eriol." Syaoran yelled, trying to think and Sakura's warning ringing in his ears. 'Avoid the blue smoke. If you go near enough to breath it in you will die.' He didn't fear the words or death, but the exact way she looked when she said it gave Syaoran the feeling that if he did she would haunt him through any world he traveled, even the afterworld. It was a look not to be denied. But he had yet to fail at any mission; he didn't even make tactical retreats. "Let's go!" They plunged head first into the blue vapor.

An ice cube melted on each vertebra as they passed through the barrier. Syaoran lead them through what looked and felt like fog, cerulean blue fog that slowly dissipated as they moved along. It gave way to an uncanny whiteness, but Syaoran's steps never slowed or faltered, giving no sign of worry. Eriol glanced around, searching for an end to their eerie surroundings. And Tomoyo, she clutched Eriol and practiced calming breaths, in through the nose, fill the belly, out through the mouth.

Suddenly Syaoran stopped and knelt down. His eyes widened as he felt the path right in from of him and hit nothing. Eriol paused, but Tomoyo, with her eyes closed and mind still on breathing, practically ran them over. Like dominos, all three fell into the void, through the swirling colors of turquoise, black, and cream.

Eternity passed and then FLUMP!

Snatching at her pink dress, Eriol hauled Tomoyo up before she even had a chance to open her eyes. "Don't look down." He commanded drilling the words into her.

But Tomoyo either couldn't hear him or couldn't help herself; she looked and screamed an ear splitting wail. Syaoran tried to catch her, but she threw herself over the edge and fell in slow motion. She flapped back and forth like a piece of fabric in the wind. Then both Syaoran and Eriol looked down at the path, the only thing that prevented them from falling perpetually, the bodies of Prince Sal's men. Sticky red blood pooled in the open mouths of a final cry and eyes devoid of any color at all gave testament to the horror of their deaths.

Eriol and Syaoran watched petrified as she fell several thousand feet into a waiting pair of arms. And then she disappeared and only the arms remained.

"We have to go after her!" Syaoran yelled pointing down to where the arms waited palm up as if beckoning them down.

Eriol couldn't hear a word but got the gist through his own panic and Syaoran's finger. He took one deep breath and jumped. The thousands of feet Tomoyo fell through passed in a flash, and the next thing he felt was the arms around his waist hauling him up. And then he too vanished.

Syaoran jumped, the goopy air parting and whizzing as he fell through eternity. He felt the arms slip right passed his body as if her were covered in thick oil. The end had finally come calling. The something struck his hand; the arms had reached farther down becoming more upper torso then floating arms and the world departed into black.

* * *

Sakura sucked in a raged breath, desperate to get oxygen in her lungs as one at a time Tomoyo, Eriol, and finally Syaoran all opened their eyes. With all the smoke they inhaled, she feared they might never wake and remain trapped in a nightmare far worse then death.

"Wha—what happened?" Eriol asked groggily, shaking the sleep from his face.

Tomoyo sat up and watched Sakura with those wide trusting eyes of hers, eyes she only ever fixed on Sakura. Guilt filled Sakura and she refused to let Tomoyo down ever again.

Syaoran on the other hand, closed his eyes after waking, sorting through reality and misconception. Of all the people to survive the blue mist, only he would truly understand the truth in it. Sakura didn't worry overly about him, Syaoran would keep her secret.

"The blue smoke that covered your escape has an hallucinogenic effect on people." She explained.

"You mean it wasn't real?" Tomoyo asked unaware that Syaoran and Eriol already had that little fact figured out.

For a moment Sakura didn't speak. The whiteness, distances, time, the blue smoke had distorted all perception of that. But Sal's soldiers that made the path and her arms, those remained the same. But could she tell Tomoyo that? "No Princess, only my arms catching you at the end." Sakura smiled gently. "Now, we'd best return you to your parents."

"But—" Tomoyo tried to speak again.

"Never you mind that." Sakura stood and glanced around the dark hall. "Let's see, your parents should be meeting with their advisors right about now and they could probably use some good news."

Syaoran shook his head trying to clear it of confusion. "Sakura! Sakura!"

Tomoyo poked her on the shoulder.

"Oh! That's me." She turned to face him.

"Yea, where are we? I can't see a damned thing," He said while thinking. 'Who forgets their own name?'

She put her hand on the wall, feeling the stone. "Right now we're somewhere between Prince Sal's private chambers and the front foyer. I can't pinpoint the exact position." Sakura knelt down and touched the stone floors. "We'll have to hold hands," She mumbled. "Or…"

"And we're headed where?" He spoke this time in a smoother tone.

"Careful here," she fumbled with a torch but managed to get it lighted. "We've got some steps coming up and they aren't very stable. The best place for us to exit these passages is in Princess Tomoyo's own quarters. No one will be there now." Her head disappeared from view. "Did I mention the stairs curve?"

It took fifteen minutes for everyone to make it safely down the twenty-three steps. Sakura spent much of that time running up and down helping the others. But then she knew this path as well as anyone knows their way around the bathroom in the dark.

They walked through the murky passageways in silence, except for the occasional stumble and curse. That is until Tomoyo spoke up. "Thank you for rescuing me."

Sakura immediately spun around. "Tomoyo," Her voice warbled. "How could I not come?" She rubbed away tears. "Now, come on, we're almost to your room."

Another ten steps and Sakura pushed on the stone wall. Tomoyo hurried into the light and twirled about giggling looking a little like she had too much wine at dinner. Her excitement shone as she moved about the room, unable to stay even the tiniest bit still. Syaoran leaned nonchalantly against the wall soaking in the atmosphere of relative safety. Eriol walked farther in admiring the furniture and other expensive items as if remembering. And Sakura, well she stood at a shelf randomly fingering various cheep trinkets: a ribbon, a porcelain dolls, a bouquet of dried daisies.

"Let's go Sakura! Come on!" Tomoyo grabbed the other girl's hand and jerked her towards the door. "We have to tell mother and father. They'll have to believe me now!" She dashed down the corridor, Sakura flapping around her like a well loved doll. Farther behind Eriol and Syaoran tried to catch up.

Tomoyo didn't release Sakura's arm until she collided head first with one of the butlers. The servant bowed and backed away muttering a vague apology. And Tomoyo charged forward throwing open the doors to the council room and skipping in. Silence greeted her as she practically ran through the Council Members to her parents. Never had that aisle looked so short. Her father caught her in an easy hug and without hesitation kissed her.

"Oh my little flower, we worried so much!" He whispered while kissing her hair right in front of the stiff and rather emotionless nobles.

"Ahem," one of the older men stepped forward, his beard almost scrapping the floor. "We will continue this conference later then?" He phrased it as a suggestion, but it sounded more like a command.

The King nodded a little more concerned with his daughter then the matter at hand. And the other Members wisely left giving the royal family time alone.

"Where were you? Who took you? Who rescued you?" The questions followed one after another.

"'Who rescued me?'" Tomoyo let out a giggle. "Why—" She turned and gestured. "S—" her voice dropped. "Why these fine men of course!"

Both Eriol and Syaoran noticed the drop in enthusiasm and glanced at each other, but they didn't say anything. By the looks of things it wasn't something Tomoyo wanted to bring up without Sakura. If Eriol had to guess, he would have said the girl in the wall rumors had some truth. Syaoran would have taken them for almost fact.

"Captain Aramos, how much do we owe these good men?" The King naively asked and the captain of the guard melted out of the shadows.

Aramos looked both awes and slightly taken aback, after all he didn't hire anyone. "Well, umm, you see sire—"

"We've already been paid." Eriol piped up. "It was an in-advance deal so you don't have to stress over it. We're just glad to help you find the Princess." He bowed, winked at Syaoran, and raised his eyebrows at Aramos.

"Just doing our job." Syaoran bowed as well and used the movement to scan the room. Sakura had truly disappeared and had done so with the skills of an expert even he couldn't rival. "Captain Aramos, perhaps we could brief you on the situation?"

He nodded stiffly. "Let's step into the hall, with of course, the leave of your majesties." The King nodded absently and the queen gave a genteel smile, both still fawning over their daughter. "This way gentlemen."

They stepped into the hall. "Okay boys, what happened?"

Syaoran smiled and pulled Aramos pit of earshot of the servants, closer to the wall. "A trade of information. What can you tell us about a girl called Sakura?"

**Another chapter completed! Yea!...hey, did you guys know, that a romance fic gets more reviews then an action one? Well, I just learned that...kinda funny considering I think this one is like waaaaaaay better written and has a more interesting plot line then my other fic Touche. Mind you,I think Touche was well done too, I just happen to think this one is better. Maybe it's an author thing. Anyway, RR!**


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: Okay, some of you must have been creeped out about the Brother/Sister dance. In this fic…how do I say it…you just have to accept that they are both children of the King and Queen…ummm It doesn't follow the show…mostly…eventually it will…but for now, please just go with the flow…It makes more sense later I promise!(...unless you're a Touya/Tomoyo person….this is E&T). I meant to put this chapter up a while ago…sorry...I was a bad girl...first there was the call of the video game...and then the movies beckoned me...and then Sims...and then I went to the Library (fully recomend readinf Sunshine by Robin Mckinley...really good...) Anyay...sorry...**

**Chapter 4**

"Sakura? That's not a very common name. I've only ever heard of one with such a name. Mind you, the information may not be entirely accurate as it's all hearsay. There are rumors of a girl who lives in the palace. Some say she's the heir of the old seer, some a ghost, and some that she's the twin of the Princess. But I've never seen any evidence of any such person. Now, tell me about the Princess."

Syaoran sighed. Sakura was an enigma he's have to figure out on his own later. "We found her in Prince Sal's own private chambers. My partner and I heard the rumors and had some vital information, so we investigated."

Aramos considered their mysterious words and scrunched his nose. These men never really shared information or the how of their operations, but Aramos really didn't want a scandal to crop up here. Well, that and they had committed major crime against just about every other government in the solar system. The ambassador from Aisha refused to even discuss the men and the grave incident there. Except this one, and Aramos intended to keep it that way.

Unless you factored in the long standing feud with Prince Sal of Bet. But that didn't make much of a difference, the crown wasn't exactly pleased with the Prince either. "How did you know to look in the castle? Why didn't my own men hear those same rumors?"

"Our contact is very shy." Eriol grinned mischievously. "Perhaps we could discuss payment? I don't think three thousand too high a price, do you?"

Distracted from his previous line of thought, Aramos spoke. "Maybe we should make plans for the Princess's current protection first. Prince Sal will undoubtedly try again for her highness, and, as he proved at the ball, our defense is not enough."

Syaoran turned away from the conversation and inspected the wall with curiosity. Eriol could handle Aramos however he wanted. If Syaoran didn't like the agreement, he would just leave…well; he would never abandon Eriol in a situation the man couldn't handle. Besides, the mystery of the disappearing girl was almost too good to leave alone.

"I'll triple your normal price if you protect her!" Aramos practically begged.

Eriol raised his eyebrows. "With that kind of incentive, how can we refuse? Now, all of it is of course on our terms."

"The King and Queen might not like it." Aramos thought out loud. "But I'll make them see reason. I believe we have an accord." He and Eriol shook hands before Aramos held out his hand to Syaoran.

"Your bargain is with my partner here. I shall endeavor to help him when ever possible, but I too have a job to do, one that might require much of my time. So I make no such deals with you." Syaoran nodded deeply and turned away.

"And he says I lack tact." Eriol barely restrained his laugh while Aramos walked back into the throne room to chat with the royal family.

* * *

"He came to court, disobeying my command and approaching the Princess Tomoyo, and then he kidnapped her!" The King roared knocking his goblet of wine on the marble floor.

"I beg your pardon Majesty!" A man not much older then the king groveled before the throne. "I humbly plead for mercy for my nephew! He is young and unwise but please I beseech you not to hang him!"

The King slumped back against his throne. "I don't want to hang anyone, but this is his fourth attempt on the Princess. It cannot continue! Oh stand up Councilman; I'm not going hang your nephew."

"Oh thank you, your Majesty. Thank you!" The man very nearly wept with relief as he collapsed in a chair.

"Can you tell me what brought about this particular incident?" The King asked desperate to stop the attacks.

"It's those damned rumors of the Age of Magic and the Dragons. Sal thinks that the return of the Dragons and Magic will eliminate the need for technology. Those acts will single handedly destroy his business, his life, everything. Those things frighten him."

"But why take out this fear on my daughter?"

The councilman looked up surprised. "You've never heard the rumors? Princess Tomoyo, it is said, will be the one to raise the Last Dragon. She along with the Dragon Tamer will bring about the new Age."

"Prince Sal of Bet is hereby stripped of his title officially and banished from this realm." He slumped down in the throne and murmured, "Some days I hate this job."

* * *

Days passed and slowly the other palace residences grew accustomed to their new guests. Eriol followed Tomoyo about, behaving lie a well trained and rather benign dog. Some even claimed he panted after her. Syaoran stalked the darker halls looking as sinister as any classic villain and frightening the servants. But other then those little oddities, the servants and nobles didn't know anything about the new boys and the rumor mill suddenly had an increase in work.

"I'd certainly like to serve Eriol for a night." One of the servants giggled. "He is known to give a few good orders."

The other girl giggled loudly. "I'm sure he does, but as your superior it's my job to look after him."

A third joined the conversation. "Well, you two can fight over him. I'll go for the recluse, tall dashing, silent." A large romantic sigh echoed down the hall. "He's mine."

"You can have him!" The first balked at the younger girl's choice. "That boy could freeze fire. Ain't anybody got 'nough heat for that man. You got to be crazy."

Syaoran could practically see her shrug. "Come on, we got rooms to clean including that strange Prince's. Somebody lodged a complaint about blue smoke, remember?"

They continued down the hall talking and laughing as maids do when they have a mission to complete. And just behind them, silent as ever, Syaoran followed intent on learning the mystery of Sakura, starting with the blue smoke. Around the corner, the maids had run into another of their kind.

"Don't worry too much about this room. They're completely clean and clear of that blue stuff." The voice sounded familiar. "There's just some dust and other cleaning in the back rooms."

A door, a normal door, opened and shut. The sound of footsteps came closer until the owner of them turned the corner.

"Sakura!" Syaoran grabbed her arm. "We need to talk."

She slowed her breathing and clutched her other hand to her chest. "Goodness you startled me! What ever do we need to discuss?"

"The blue smoke, let's start with that." He pulled her into a near alcove inhabited by a rather large sculpture. "Where does it come from?"

Her eyes betrayed no fear in their pale depths. "I can see that you require the truth and so I shall disclose to you what I can. Where does the Blue Death come from? To put it simply, I make it."

Syaoran released her hand. "And why does it affect people so harshly?"

Emerald orbs blinked back at him. "I—I—" and she fled. Sakura turned with an agility gleaned only from extensive practice and she ran down the hall with long strides.

If it had merely been a straight path, Syaoran would have easily caught up to her and demanded to truth. But with the sharp turns, narrow stairs, and busy halls, Syaoran barely kept a steady ten feet behind her. And the skill Sakura showed with her turns couldn't compare with how she slid around, behind, and through all things and people in her way.

Eventually the chase led to the kitchens, a room that until now Syaoran had carefully avoided. But now he plunged into the mess eagerly and the pursuit carried on. Scullery maids screamed as a caramel head ducked beneath a pot of hot water. A cook nearly lost a finger when Syaoran shoved him out of the way. It all ended at Maira.

"What are you doing in my kitchen?" Eyes narrow, hands on hips, Maira frightened even Syaoran. When he didn't speak she repeated the question with even more anger. "I said, boy, what are you doing in my kitchen?"

"I'm looking for a girl, Sakura, brown hair so long, green eyes." He mumbled and made a few vague gestures.

"Any of you ever heard of a Sakura?" She asked and the kitchen quickly got back to work. "Ain't nobody here that knows who you want." Maira leered. "Now I suggest you get!" her expression never changed as he left.

"Thanks Maira." Sakura appeared out from under the very pot Maira stood in front of. "I owe you big."

"You gonna explain?"

Sakura looked at the ground hiding tears. "It has begun, just like she said. It's begun."

* * *

"Ah Princess, it seems we are seated together once again." Eriol smiled a perfectly orchestrated genuine smile.

A smile Tomoyo reciprocated. "If I didn't know better I'd someone had just come into some money."

"Uh!" Eriol grabbed his chest as if just stabbed through the heart. "You wound me my Princess; I would not stoop to bribery." He glanced down at her plate. "Oh! Allow me to help you." And he removed the knife and fork from her clenched hands.

He expected to hear one of her sarcastic thank yous. Instead he felt a pronged silver utensil connect with his hand, painfully. "I can cut my own food thank you very much." And Eriol was present with a very smooth and very cold shoulder.

"As you wish Princess." He shrugged and removed the fork from his skin. Blood welled up in the four little puncture marks and Eriol ran a finger over them."

Tomoyo's eyes widened as the tiny pricks healed themselves. No one she knew used magic like that.

"Damn dampeners," he muttered. "Can't do much else, stupid Syaoran. We should leave." He barely even moved.

"I certainly wouldn't mind that," Tomoyo mumbled back and relished the look of shock on his face. "I am sitting next to you; I do have ears that work." She grinned and ate a piece of steak.

"You are a menace." Eriol attacked his own food.

"Of course I am. It's one of my charms."

Eriol continued to grumble incoherently as he shoved various bits of food into his mouth. His manners became suddenly lacking and Tomoyo had to work twice as hard as usual to not giggle, out loud anyway.

Suddenly a smile of his own crossed Eriol's face. "It would seem, dear Princess, we are about to have some company, Duke Norring and his son Jardin."

"Oh phooey and I was hoping to have a relatively peaceful dinner." She gave a sidelong glance at Eriol. "Nothing for it now."

"Hello Princess." Duke Norring nudged his son closer to the table.

"Er—Nice to see you up and about Princess," Jardin said softly. "I do hope that horrible Sal didn't do any harm."

"Well," Tomoyo lowered her voice to match his. "I am doing much better now, just a fainting spell every so often. Thank you for your concern." She smiled genteelly, but then closed her eyes and took a shaky breath.

Eriol felt her stiffen and then fall into his arms. "Princess?"

She opened her eyes and reached out a trembling hand. "I think I over did it today. Would you kindly escort me to my chambers Sir Eriol?" Her voice sounded pitifully soft.

"Of course," He said. "Can you walk?" Tomoyo shook her head and Eriol scooped her up.

Out in the hall, she burst out laughing. "I think he actually fell for it! The poor fool!"

He nearly dropped the squealing girl. "What was the act for?"

"I just—I just had to get out," she stated simply and began squirming. "Now let me down; I can walk."

"Oh certainly not!" Eriol grinned mischievously and held her closer. "What if dear Jardin comes out to see how you're doing? What will you do then?" He looked down and noticed the very large gap between Tomoyo's dress and her chest. It gave a very nice view. "I certainly wouldn't be surprised."

Tomoyo noticed the direction of his gaze. "You fiend!" She pounded on his chest. "You won't let me down because you are a pervert, ogling me like that!"

"And a mighty fine sight it is."

"Eriol!"

* * *

"Darling, I have something important to tell you." The King laid down next to his wife. "Something about Tomoyo."

"Alright," she put her book aside. "Has she found a suitor?"

"No, no, nothing like that. It's just, you remember the old seer and the prophecy? Well Prince Sal heard those rumors too and that's why—"

"Stop it." The queen crossed her arms. "I stand by the decision I made then, I will not give up my daughter."

The King withheld a groan knowing it would only strengthen her resolve. "It's just maybe we should giver her words a little more thought."

"Dragons, Tamers, Quests, all of it is just fairy tales parents tell their children. Magic exists on other planets, but not here. No one here has the potential."

"That's not entirely true."

"He was disowned."

"He was third in line for the throne."

* * *

"Mr. Hiiragizawa, would you kindly permit me a moment alone in my bedroom?" Tomoyo asked through gritted teeth.

"I'm afraid that unless someone else is in there, I cannot allow it." Eriol responded with the utmost courtesy. "It is for your protection."

She rolled her eyes while opening the door. "It will only take a moment, less then two minutes!"

Creepy as ever, Tomoyo stepped into her room. The wind fluttered aside the drapes allowing a sliver of light to fall across the face of someone seated on the couch. Eriol grabbed her and hastily shut the door.

"What do you think your doing?" Tomoyo shouted having completely lost her temper. "That is my room and—"

"Someone is in there." The words shut her up pretty quickly, just in time to notice the door as it swung open.

"So glad you noticed Eriol, now get in her. We need to talk." Syaoran pulled him and the Princess into the room. "I have information on Sakura."

The two men sat down on the couch, already deep in conversation reviewing all the things they already knew. Tomoyo took the opportunity to spend some time alone, or as alone as she could get. Above the fire, on the mantel, she spotted a note with ornate handwriting on the top. Squealing excitedly, Tomoyo snatched the little piece of paper and almost ripped it apart trying to get the seal off.

"Women and their notes," Eriol shook his head disgusted. "You'd think they'd die without their gossip. But listen Syaoran, I understand you can't leave a mystery alone, but please! We have a more important one to look into."

"You don't understand Eriol!" Syaoran jumped up. "It's not just a mystery! It's like she's begging me to chase her, but when I get too close to something she panics and flees, leaving no trail. Like today! She gave me this tiny hint of information and then when I tired to bite she ran!"

Eriol pulled him back onto the couch. "We have bigger fish to fry then one disappearing girl."

Both men barely glanced at Tomoyo as she laughed.

"I just don't understand! It's like I'm being drawn to search for her. I can't help it! I even dream about that girl and her damn green eyes!"

A gasp filled the air as Tomoyo almost dropped the note. "You don't say," she murmured to herself and the other two ignored her.

"Listen Syaoran, I can't find any information on Sal Bet, not if he left or is hiding in the castle. There's no trace of a motive it's like he dropped off the face of the planet!"

Syaoran ran his hands through his hair and stood up. "All of this is linked by something. It doesn't make sense, why would Sal go after the Princess unless…"

"Just because his business is down is no reason. He can't possibly…" Eriol looked into Syaoran's eyes and read the accusation there. "I mean, those stories are only rumors, nothing concrete. I've spent days with her and she hasn't shown the smallest sign…"

Tomoyo stared at both Eriol and Syaoran as if seeing them for the first time and they looked at her with the same sense of awe. "I have to go to the bathroom." She made a move in that direction and both Syaoran and Eriol stepped in front of her.

"I don't think so Princess, what's in the note?" Syaoran demanded holding his hand out.

"This?" She held up the paper. "Why it's nothing, just a bit of good gossip really."

"Let me see!" Eriol tried to snatch it, but Tomoyo pulled her hand back fast. "You're hiding something." He accused.

"I am not!" She insisted. "You're the ones who are hiding and you have an over developed sense of nosiness. I don't go around snooping into other people's private business!"

"You're the one holding the gossip!"

"How dare you! You insolent, little—" She pointed a finger at Eriol, and Syaoran snatched the note from her hand. "Why you—Give that back!"

Eriol pulled it out of his hand and quickly read the first paragraph. "How petty of you? Do you actually care who is having a fling with whom and who had a loud argument in the corridor?"

"Like you said before 'Women and their gossip.' Now, may I have it back?" She asked sounding mildly irritated.

"Who gave this to you?" Syaoran shot back at her. "Who's this Lady S?"

"If you must know she is an old friend of mine, we like to trade notes back and forth. She likes to leave them in odd places I'm sure to find them. Please give it back."

"That doesn't answer my question, I need a name." Syaoran sighed making sure the paper was well out of Tomoyo's reach.

"Figure it out yourself. You're the ones who never leave me alone and know everything." She pushed between them and sat on the spiky chair. "You can answer anytime now."

"She doesn't have any friends with an 'S' name," Eriol whispered. "Do you think it's from Sakura?"

"Well, who ever she is, it certainly is clever for her to leave this note in your room, especially as the servants were told not to allow anyone or thing in her without telling us." Syaoran threw the paper on the table and stared. "So how is you friend Sakura? Does she enjoy sending me on a wild chase through the castle?"

Tomoyo gingerly picked up the note and caressed the letters.

"But mostly, I want to know how she knows all that information, particularly the bit at the end about Sal."

"You should simply be glad that Sakura has our best interests at heart. Yes, all three of us, or did you not read that far?" A coldness resembled Maira coated every word and Syaoran wondered how much time Tomoyo spent in the Kitchens. Eriol opened his mouth to retort. "You'll just have to trust me when I say she cares very deeply about each of us. Of all the people alive, I probably know her the best."

"What else did she say?" Eriol asked, thoughtful but not angry like Syaoran.

"Sal is going after the Last Dragon Egg."

"Shit!" Syaoran yelled and the walls just as angrily echoed him back. "We have to get there first. Princess, we have determined that your safety in no longer in any danger. Good day." He stomped over to the door and threw it open.

"You're not going anywhere without me." She told his stiff back. "You two won't get ten steps closer to that Egg."

"Don't tell me I won't find it!" Syaoran glared. "I've spent my whole life hunting it. I probably know more about it then you know about Sakura. Don't even presume to lecture me on the legend of the Last Dragon Egg!"

"Then you must already know the story that surrounds my birth and therefore must understand that without me everything fails."

"After the birth of the Princess, the seer did see several vital visions, 'the one needed to find the Last Dragon Egg, the ultimate source of power.' I remember, do you Syaoran? You're the one who told me the tale." Eriol reminded him quietly.

Little veins popped out over Syaoran's forehead in frustration. "Fine! You can come, but if you pull any of that Princess crap we'll drop you on the nearest planet and leave you."

* * *

"Have you seen Aidian lately?"

"That bro—" Maira more felt the sting of Sakura's glare then saw it. "Sorry, that other boy the seer took in? Haven't seen him since that big fight you two had. Why?"

"If you do, don't tell him where I am. I don't want to give him that." A very ugly look crossed her face and Maira could only imagine the hate flowing through her mind. "He doesn't deserve the satisfaction."

"Girl, are you ever going to tell me just what he did to earn your undying hatred?"

"It was my sixth birthday and the Old Lady had promised to introduce me to my family. Aidian and I were in the halls behind the throne room and this beautiful girl walked in front of the peep hole. The moment I saw her, I knew I wanted to play with her and Aidian knew it too. He saw me watching her and laughed. I cans still remember his exact words. He told me 'She's not for you Sakura. You're different. You have to be alone. It's your destiny; I've seen it.' And he laughed."

"Oh baby! He told you, didn't he?" Maira pulled her into a hug. "He condemned you to the life you live!"

Sakura took a swipe at her eyes. "Now you know the truth." She smiled. "I'll see you later."

**I'll try not to be so long for the next update...no promises, but I'll try...gotta love being a senior...**


	5. Chapter 5

**Lookie! I can update quickly! Yea!**

**Chapter 5**

"'Eriol go make the arrangements.' Why do I always have to make the _arrangements_? Is he incapable or something?" Eriol raged to himself as he angrily stomped down the stairs. "I have to get tickets to the most back-ass-ward planet in the system. But no that's not all, we're also wanted by just about every clan, village, and family there. So I have to find a safe place to land. And we're bringing _Her_ Highness! Gread looked up. "You—you insolent little peasant! How dare you insinuate—"

As the rather large man turned a nasty shade of red, Eriol stepped back. "Of course, why would you remember me, your son, whom you haven't seen in…" He paused, deliberately baiting the mane. "Oh yes, seven years? Why should you?"

"My son, my Eriol is dead. He died the day he left this castle and violated my authority." The old man growled looking more like a sick old man then the flaming terror Eriol remembered. "And as I recall, he vowed never to return again."

S9CYou—you insolent little peasant! How dare you insinuate—"

As the rather large man turned a nasty shade of red, Eriol stepped back. "Of course, why would you remember me, your son, whom you haven't seen in…" He paused, deliberately baiting the mane. "Oh yes, seven years? Why should you?"

"My son, my Eriol is dead. He died the day he left this castle and violated my authority." The old man growled looking more like a sick old man then the flaming terror Eriol remembered. "And as I recall, he vowed never to return again."

Shaking his head, Eriol continued down the hall. "Funny, I thought things might change, but apparently I was wrong. I won't make the same mistake again. Good day—" He turned back to look at the noble, a dirty grin on his face. "Father." And he ran suppressing the giggles, leaving the man gaping and red.

Two halls over, he had to stop, catch his breath, and hen burst out into laughter. For five minutes he leaned over his knees, wheezing and laughing alternately. But then a sound pulled him out of that routine.

Just the slightest intake of breath and Eriol knew of the other person in the hall. Another sniff. He crept towards the dark corner and saw her. A young girl crouched there, her head buried in her knees with a small hiccup every once in a while.

"Are you alright Miss?" Eriol asked, moving very slowly as if approaching a skittish animal.

The girl raised her head, brown locks falling in her face and shielding her eyes, "You could understand the feeling of one's life falling apart before one's very eyes." She talked and Eriol slunk closer. "Something, a very small thing really, is now turning my life upside down and inside out. Rather like the fight you had with your father, before you left the castle." A thin line of a smile showed between the strands of her hair.

"Yes, my father wanted things I didn't, he wanted the army and I the university. So I left."

"If only I too could change my circumstances, but for me it is not so easy." She looked up tears flecking her eyes.

"Sakura?" Eriol spoke without thinking and in shock.

She closed her eyes for a long time as if hoping he would leave. "Yes," she opened them. "I have some work to do now. Don't fret over your father; with the passage of time he and everyone else will come to accept you."

There was something creepy in those pale eyes.

* * *

"Mother really didn't like it, but I told her the best way to protect me was to get me as far away from Sal as possible. The Father talked to her and she agreed, very reluctantly, but at least she agreed." Tomoyo smiled brightly and walked around picking things up and putting them down in other places. She was the type of person that infuriated servants. "I'm really excited by it! I've never been off planet before." 

Syaoran tipped his chair back against the wall and looked up. "Do you always talk to yourself? Or do you have some kind of verbal diary?"

"This room is haunted and I'm telling the ghosts, so they won't be lonely." She giggled. "I guess no one told you. The old seer died in here, making her last prediction." Tomoyo giggled again. "I don't remember the whole thing, but it goes something like this: In the dead of the night and through the sands, the daughter born of Royal Blood, within whom the blood—the magic of the lands—flows, will…will…well she does something involving the Last Dragon Egg and it mentions a bunch of other people too. Anyway the spirit of the old seer is said to haunt these rooms, the rooms of the girl in her protection." Tomoyo flopped on the couch. "Pretty much the whole palace knows."

"So that's why Sal took you." Syaoran stated directly. "But then why has he gone in search of the egg if he knows he can't find it?"

She shrugged, another very un-princess-like action. "The point is he won't, because you have me." She turned to face him.

"How do you know all of this?"

"The flower of court hears a lot but tells very little." She hummed. "Shouldn't we be leaving soon?"

"As soon as Eriol gets back with the supplies." He stretched and looked around the room. "We'll be leaving through the passages in this room."

"You know them well then?"

"Well enough." Syaoran walked towards the wall. "I have a photographic memory. And that little flower of yours, I caught the sight of her leaving the other day, so I know this is a tow way door, unlike some of the other ones. It won't be much longer now."

Tomoyo nodded and slowly paced, lost in thought of things past and to come. The room remained silent for a long time, filling the air with apprehension.

"Okay," Eriol flung open the door. "We don't have a lot of time. The ship we want leaves in two hours; here's the clothes I bought. And we're traveling as rich merchants. The trip will take about five days." He smiled brightly. "All that's left is the story. Who would you rather be married to, me or Syaoran?"

Tomoyo fell backwards on her bed, looked around at everything, and promptly burst into tears. She fingered the coarse cloth and thought of her own silky smooth gowns, gowns seamstresses had spent weeks, even months, creating. The tears slipped down her cheeks silently, creating wet splotches on her "new" outfit.

"Princess…" Eriol placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Don't!" She swipped her hand across her eyes. "Don't call me that! I'm Tomoyo, the young maid traveling with you. I just need a moment."

Eriol nodded and reluctantly walked over to Syaoran. "We'll leave you alone so you can change."

She nodded, scooped up the dress, and stepped behind a screen. "You don't have to leave. I'm fine now."

"It won't work Eriol." Syaoran said in a low voice. "Maybe we can pass her off as a cousin or something, but not on Aisha. There she'll have to be married to one of us like you said and it's best to use the same story the whole time. This is getting complicated." He sighed.

"We can't push her."

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're a little enamored with her." Syaoran teased.

"Okay, I'm ready." Tomoyo stepped out in a billowy white blouse, long brown skirt, and a pair of patent leather boots. "It's a little old fashioned don't you think?" She fingered the cloth again. "And not very well made either." She twirled in front of the mirror. "But it will do."

"She's much better looking in the silks, but this isn't horrible…"

Eriol elbowed Syaoran in the side. "Let's just get going."

They approached the wall and Syaoran placed two hands on the stone. The wall directly beneath his hands melted away, creating a small hole. Eriol shoved his hands into the empty air and the hole quickly became big enough for one very skinny man to walk through.

"Well, suck it in Syaoran." Eriol grinned.

And so, once again, the three stepped into the dank tunnels.

"Eriol, we could use some light if you can manage it." Syaoran dropped the teasing as he gropped along the wall.

On the tip of Eriol's first two fingers, a small yellow flame grew. "It's easier in here. This stone must block out the worst of the dampeners."

"Dampeners?" Tomoyo asked stepping down.

"Yes, this world is full of them and all natural too. It's a real pain for me, but then off world I can really stretch."

"Stretch? Do you mean magic?"

"Yea, it's a trait of my family, but only the people who get off this rock ever figure it out. And not many of us have left."

For a good hour they tramped through the tunnels with minimal light. The tunnels were obviously in poor condition; water trickled down the walls and large rocks jutted out of the path at odd places. At first Tomoyo looked around at everything with a sort of fascination, but nothing really changed, and the fascination grew to distress. And still they plodded farther and farther into the dark.

Then, the tunnel ended. Syaoran walked face first into the stone and swore loudly. "Shit! Where did this come from?" He ran a hand across it, noting the smoothness and tiny hair line cracks. "It's a door, but unlike any I've seen."

Eriol stepped up to it, mumbling under is breath. "Great, just great, lovely. No handle, no hinges…"

"it's magic!" Tomoyo squealed. "Sakura comes down her sometimes, but she says only a real sorcerer can open it." She looked at him.

"Oh, I'm not a sorcerer. Okay, those guys study for years and years before anything. I'm too young." Eriol defended himself and Tomoyo narrowed her eyes, the message clear, try or die. "Fine, fine, fine." He pushed up his sleeves and laid his hands gently on the door. They glowed a soft blue and the door pushed itself open.

Light blinded them, leaving bluish-purple spots in their vision. A warm breeze blew in their faces.

"Damn it," Syaoran swore again. "Living in the Palace, I forgot, night is shorter out here, only a few hours."

"What?" Tomoyo asked very confused

"Inside the castle engineers programmed the windows to start tinting about every twelve hours. So it's dark half the time and light the other half." Eriol explained. "Out here, night only lasts four hours. And so people nap during the hottest parts of the day."

"Okay, we're got an hour to make it to the station." Syaoran pointed at the crowd. "And that is in our way."

Tomoyo squared her shoulders and straightened her dress. "Then we'd best get a move on." She marched purposefully into the crowds without once looking back.

"For someone who was crying over this an hour ago, she's certainly taking this by the reigns." Syaoran stared for a moment and then followed.

"Yea," Eriol said still focusing on the sight.

The crowd was thick with screaming babies, rowdy children, and mothers attempting to regain control they never really had in the first place .Venders bantered noisily, instant on finding the best deal while still smiling politely. Thieves dipped into pockets, carpenters and blacksmiths practiced their craft, and the bourgeoisie strutted about as if they owned the whole world. Just another good old market day.

Syaoran managed to catch up with Tomoyo first, but let Eriol take her hand. And a good thing he did too because she had just started speaking with a young man—a young man who looked a little too interested.

"Hello dear." Eriol slipped his hand into Tomoyo's. "We don't want to be late, so let's hurry up."

She nodded sweetly, following his lead. "It was nice chatting with you."

After that little incident, they managed to stay together fairly well. Every once in a while Syaoran would lose sight of the other two in the crowd or they might step to inspect some cloth, blending in with the scene. But it never took long for him to catch back up. It worked well, at least until Syaoran caught a boy trying to steal from him. He grabbed the boy's hand and was in the process of giving a severe lecture when a small gang of slightly bigger boys walked up.

"Just hand over the money." The apparent leader of the group spoke up. "Just give it and we won't cause a scene or nothing."

Syaoran looked him over and released the boy. "And if I refuse?"

"That wouldn't be in your best interest." The leader grinned. "But I'd enjoy it." He swung a punch.

Ducking, Syaoran kicked out his leg and knocked the boy over. And after that, the rest of the boys joined in the fray. Ten sets of arms and legs and who knew how many blunt objects suddenly attacked Syaoran. And obviously he didn't have the skills to defend against them all.

He flipped out at away from the fight, breaking into a run the moment his feet hit the ground. They boys followed intent on fighting until they beat Syaoran or were defeated themselves. Reaching under his shirt, Syaoran fingered his weapon, knowing the victory would come down to it. More for self-protection than anything else, he withdrew the short brown stick. A remnant of lost technology, Syaoran pressed the small button on the side and liquid metal flowed out to form a sword.

Chaos ensued in the market.

And Syaoran's opponent grew exponentially. He scanned the area for Eriol and Tomoyo, but couldn't find them in the large mess. The gang members attacked, most with clubs, pipes, and other makeshift weapons.

Syaoran found himself ducking, jumping, and blocking less attacks then neccassary and gaining more bruises then desired. If this carried on much longer, then the guard would most certainly get involoved. And that would be bad, real bad.

He spotted Eriol through a hole in the attack, glanced at the crowd, and ran.

"Time to go!" he yelled snatching Tomoyo as he ran by.

Eriol quickly followed and threw something over his shoulder. "We've only got twenty minutes!"

"What was that for?" Syaoran pointed back at the now smoky market.

"Oh, just a little distraction." Eriol grinned.

With the white smoke filling the square and distorting the air, their attackers lost the quarry.

The large hanger at the edge of town quickly came into sight. A loud whooose was heard over head and Eriol, Tomoyo, and Syaoran ran in. The ship left, flying right over them and into space.

"Damn it!" Syaoran screamed kicking the ground. "We have to leave! We have to leave now!"

"Why?" Tomoyo asked all sweet and innocent.

"Because our good friend Sal is the one who sent those men to tail us! Don't you have a brain! They had way too much experience to be just your run of the day gang!"

"You all need a ship?" An old man in the corner piped up. All three turned and stared. "I got one, kinda rusty, but she'll fly."

"I'm sorry," Eriol spoke, the first one to come out of shock. "Are you offering us a ride on your ship?"

"Hell no!" He unsteadily hauled himself up with the assistance of a cane. In the light, his white hair didn't shine with healthy, his skin revealed a waxy greasy look, and a cloth covered his eyes. "I want to sell 'er to ya. Can't pilote the damn thing anymore."

Syaoran glanced around, obviously in a rush. "how much you asking for?"

The man leaned heavily on his walking stick, his legs not able to support him. "For you, not less then a hundred."

"A hunded!" Eriol exclaimed. "But the starting price for a hunk of metal that CAN'T fly is at least five times that!"

He stood just a little straighter and smiled enigmatically. "Just think of that.I'd give you my angel if I thought you'd take her." He laughed clear and tinkling like a bell. "What would I do with five hundred gold? I can't even spend a hundred." The clunk of his wooden stick echoed down the hall as he plodded away. "Well, you comin' or not?"

Eriol looked over at Syaoran. "We do need a ship."

"Alright." Syaoran started down the hall, wary of the strange old man. "let's just go. We don't have time to waste."

They didn't walk far. The old man stopped about a hundred feet down the tunnel. "That's her, that's my Angel."

"Phah!" Eriol balked at the large pile of rusted junk metal. "Hang on, you can't possibly call that a ship."

That curious little smirk never left his face. "It takes more the just eyes. You of all people should know that."

Tomoyo gasped. "But-but that-that's—" And she clutched her hands to her mouth holding back the words.

Syaoran glanced at her suspicious of the sudden silence. "it's what, Tomoyo?"

"Never going to fly." She stated a bit flatly after that out burst. Now she had everyone's attention. "Well look at it!"

"You wound me my lady," The old man continues to smirk and didn't look hurt at all. "My Angel will most definitely fly. She ain't in the best a shape, but she always done me proud."

Taking a few steps forward, Syaoran ran his hands over the hull, noting the nicks, dents, and smooth places. "If you say she'll fly, then we'll take her."

The old man approached the ship as a father would his daughter and gently rubbed his hand across the hull, muttering softly. When he stepped back, tears glistened in his eyes. "Angel and I have been through a lot together. But maybe you're the ones to entrust her to now."

Tomoyo put her hand on his. "We'll take good care of her for you."

"Sweet lady," The old man leaned in close. "I have no doubt of that, but let me leave you with a parting piece of advice: the royal imposter can live as he or she lives, without guilt."

"But why tell me this?"

"Because you are the one who binds this group together. Without you, this mission fails."

"Come on Tomoyo!" Eriol shouted from the hatchway while Syaoran revved the engines. "It's time to go!"

She nodded and dashed up the ramp.

**Another long chappie! Well kinda anyway. Anyway, I hope y'all liked it! Review and tell me what'ch'all think!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Wow, you all sucked in reviewing for Chapter 5. You're all very lucky that I still love you or I wouldn't be posting this now.**

**Chapter 6**

The second the ship left the atmosphere, Eriol kicked Syaoran out of the cockpit under the pretense that Syaoran needed to tend his wounds. And after that, Eriol flat out refused to leave the cock pit under any circumstances and all the magic in the world couldn't help anyone who suggested other wise. At one point he actually growled stunningly like a tiger and Syaoran went running. He hadn't been back since.

Syaoran occupied himself by doing repair work down in the engine room and all the cooking in the mess hall. Not that he liked it. But someone had to do it and Tomoyo didn't know the difference between a teaspoon and a tablespoon. She spent her first few hours wondering about the ship exploring.

It was a really small ship, two bedrooms, one bathroom, one mess hall/common room, the engine room, and the cockpit. Microscopic made the best description and for Tomoyo that lack of space captivated. But only for a very short amount of time, then she returned to her room bored.

"Damn it!" Syaoran's voice echoed through the ship. "'Not in the best of shape.' My ass!" The sounds of tools ricocheting off the walls echoed afterward. "Eriol! I can't get the confounded air pump to function at anything more then fifty percent!"

"Calm down Syaoran," Eriol called from his seat up above. "It's not critical at the moment!" He started fiddling with the navigations system.

Syaoran poked his head out of the floor and the engine room. "I could really use something to eat, how 'bout you?"

"Tomoyo just brought up some stuff. She's been practicing her domestic skills." He gestured to the plate of very nasty looking sandwiches. "Surprisingly, they're a lot better then they look."

"I'll take your word for it." Syaoran took a tentative bite and then shoved the whole thing in his mouth. "Where is she anyway? I haven't seen her in like two days."

"Down in her room, sleeping, I think." Eriol's eyes never left the screen in front of him. Every once in a while a star would appear or words would flash across. "Can you believe how old this thing is? This ship has to be from the Old Ages!"

"Yea," he said slowly. "I think, maybe, Tomoyo knows more about it then she's letting on…"

"What do you mean?" Eriol flipped a switch and began plugging in numbers on a tiny keypad.

"It's just when she first saw the ship she got all—I don't know—excited." Syaoran shoved another sandwich in his mouth. "It was just weird."

"I noticed that too." Eriol continued the conversation half-heartedly, more concerned with the ship beneath his hands. "Wow! Look at this!" He whistled.

Syaoran shook his head a little annoyed but also amused. "I think I'll go talk to Tomoyo." He muttered knowing Eriol wouldn't hear or notice his absence.

"I don't believe this! How Awesome!" Eriol's voice boomed through the hall.

No lights were on in the hall and shadows danced across the wall, created by the limited light from the cockpit. The floor creaked in that breakable way of a floor that's about to cave in as Syaoran made his way to Tomoyo's room. "Umm, Tomoyo?" He knocked uncertainly on the metal door. "We need to talk."

She tentatively opened the door and stepped out into the hall. "Yes?"

"What do you know about this ship?" As always direct and straight to the point.

Tomoyo looked him in the eye and considered lying, before she realized he wouldn't leave until he heard the truth. "I studied history and had a professor who loved the Old Age. From what I can tell, this ship has to date back at least to the Fire. Magic reigned supreme in during that time and only sorcerers could really handle big technology like this ship. Magic was built into the wires and metal; this ship essentially functions because of magic. The old man could have named any price and still he wouldn't have asked anywhere close to the actually worth!"

Syaoran stared at her. "We're riding in a grade A antique, a thing that shouldn't even exist. That's what you got all excited about?"

"We're traveling in lost technology." Tomoyo hesitated and then shook her head. "You of all people should know this ship can only help you get to the Egg as they come from the same era. Sorcerers and Dragon Tamers, all of this around us comes from legend!"

He stared, at a loss for words and unsure as to what she wanted to tell him. "Let's get one thing straight, I'm here for only one thing, to get Sal Bet. He wants you, the wants this treasure, and to get my revenge I'm going to get it first."

"That's a very selfish thing to say." She told him flatly. "Good luck finding what you want." She slammed the door in his face.

From there Syaoran wondered about the ship trying to block out Tomoyo's words. No one had ever called him selfish before, a jerk, yes, crazy, yes, even flat out insane, but never selfish. Many called him kind, generous, a saint instead.

But the words still haunted him; they refused to leave no matter how he argued against them and paced the hall. Eventually, Syaoran found himself in the very small cargo hold. He had yet to explore this room and at first glance it didn't look like much. Boxes filled with fuel and food at one end with tubs of rusty tools at the other.

"The Dragon Tamer, feh. What does she know about them?" He plopped down on a dusty crate. "She never met one, never saw the agony in his face as his wife and daughters were killed." Syaoran looked at his sword gently caressing the blade. "She doesn't know the horrors behind the legend and this sword. Dragon Tamers, Sorcerers, Princesses, for anyone else it's just a fairy tale, but I have to live it."

He carefully sharpened the blade, holding the memories at bay, but only just.

For the next two days, the occupants of the ship had little to do with one another. Not that they realized they were avoiding each other. Eriol remained in the cockpit "bonding" with the ship and showering it with obsessive attention. Tomoyo hid in her room, or occasionally pots and pans could be heard banging about the kitchen. Often she screamed at those cooking utensils, utterly disgusted with her culinary skills. And Syaoran, he reminisced over childhood memories holding his sword close to scare off the worst of the demons.

Several hours after lunch, Eriol went in search of breakfast. The ship was oddly silent, even for them, as he grabbed a meal bar and marched back into the cockpit.

"Well, Angel, I guess I better check on your stomach too." He chuckled and went down into the engine room. "What the?"

Tools neatly lined the work bench for easy access, the exact opposite of the chaotic mess Eriol had left them in that morning. And each part of the engine gleamed with cleanliness.

Out of the shadows stepped Sakura. "Hello Eriol."

"Syaoran!" He screamed. "Tomoyo! Get down to the engine room now!"

In seconds both had scurried down the hatch and were greeted with an almost identical greeting.

"Sakura!" Syaoran glared angrily. "What are you doing here?"

She raised her chin definitely. "I came to help."

"Help!" Syaoran kicked the tools. "You sneaked onto this ship, hid from us, did only who knows what, and all to help! Oh no, you're the girl who doesn't exist so when I ask you what you're doing on this ship you'd better give me a straight answer! Now, what are you doing here?"

Sakura casually looked everyone over; her gaze lingered on Tomoyo as she spoke. "I have come to protect Princess Tomoyo. She once protected me and I wish to repay her every kindness." She looked at Syaoran and smiled. "Besides, none of you can cook."

Eriol's stomach growled loudly. "She's got us there. Anyway, what should we do with her? Lock her in the cargo hold? Drop her on the nearest planet? That would be Aisha and then we might as well keep her around."

The two men looked up and saw Tomoyo giving Sakura a harsh lecture. "I told you Sakura, you don't owe me anything, and anyone else would have down the same!"

"You're wrong Tomoyo. Most people wouldn't accept the truth as you did. Besides I want to do this!"

A large shock rocked the ship sending all four of them crashing onto the floor in a big pile.

"Was that an attack?" Eriol asked slightly dazed from the fall.

"Eriol, you get in the cockpit with Tomoyo, shut the doors and leave that other ship behind. I'm going to defend the border." Syaoran jumped up pulling out his sword and completely forgetting about Sakura. He took about two steps into the hall, turned, and saw Sakura standing at his elbow. "What?"

"I told you, I came to help."

"What about Tomoyo?"

"I can't protect her is I can't fight." She activated her own sword.

"Tell me Sakura, have you ever fought or killed a man?" He turned an icy stare on her. "Because if there is any doubt in your mind about killing, then you had better get back in that cockpit right now."

She returned the glare. "I can handle it."

Syaoran turned back towards the cargo hold and tensed, holding his blade in the customary guard stance. Sakura merely stood at ease, her face impassive and arms limp. Curses and the sounds of someone hacking at the door reached their ears and Syaoran bowed slightly to his enemies.

As the door slowly gave way, five pirates dashed daringly in ready for battle. Swinging his blade, Syaoran moved fluidly into the fray, stabbing one man in the stomach as he went. Two of the pirates danced out of his reach and ran for Sakura.

Sakura calmly regarded them as she brought her sword up in defense. Both pirates glanced at her, maniac grins on their faces, and simultaneously charged. One feigned left and the other took a swipe at her side. She stepped forward and parried the blow to her right, the ring of metal vibrating through her arms.

At the other end of the hall Syaoran had less trouble with his attackers and dispatched the second one quickly while pushing the third back into the cargo hold. He fenced lightly, hardly breaking a sweat as he traded blows with his opponent. With a tight flip of his wrist he sent the pirate's sword clanging across the room and in the same smooth movement stabbed him through the heart.

At the same time Sakura pushed her opponents back as well. A scream tore through the hall as she dogged attack after attack. The two men had her spinning in circles trying to ward off each one. One sword bit deeply into her left arm and she dropped her weapon.

Syaoran charged up the stairs and stormed passed Sakura decapitating one and piercing the other through his stomach. When he turned around, Sakura had disappeared.

"Let's go Eriol!" He shouted tearing the edge of his shirt for a bandage.

Eriol pushed the ship to full speed. "I found the register for the ship that attacked us; it's Sal's." He said quietly.

"Damn it!" Syaoran hastily wrapped the cloth around his lower arm. "This is starting to get to be really annoying shit!"

"Where's Sakura?" Tomoyo asked softly.

"Just get us to Aisha." Syaoran stood up and marched to the door. Tomoyo opened her mouth. "I saw Sakura last in the cargo hold. Let's go get her." They walked down the hall together, Tomoyo fighting her fear at seeing all the blood on the floor.

"You're not going into the cargo hold." Syaoran commanded softly and she nodded.

In the hold, he saw the bodies, the blood, but no Sakura, not a sign of her. He approached the hatch where the pirates had entered and turned away. Through the corner of his eye, Syaoran saw a few strands of hair pinched in the door, hair that looked like Sakura's.

"Eriol! We got a problem!" Syaoran ran into the cock pit, Tomoyo trailing behind. "Sakura's gone! I found her hair in the hatchway door."

"Bad? Good? Are we going after her or on the Aisha? Eriol never once looked away from the screen. "We can still catch them."

"Let's keep them in sight, but don't get to close. We need to figure out whose side she's on."

**Now, please all be good readers and hit that little button down there...I really don't like not getting any reveiws for a chapter...it makes me wonder if you like the story at all...**


	7. Chapter 7

**clover luck11, I'm sorry, but Sakura does not say "hoe" in this fic. Sorry for the long wait...I had to worry about exams, graduation, and then starting a new job. Here it is though!**

**Chapter 7**

Sakura hid in the cargo hold knowing Syaoran would most certainly want to kill her for what he would see as betrayal. But then he understood very little of life after the Egg and how it would change. They would most certainly tail her, afraid she might spill necessary information, but then, as Eriol said, Syaoran was a bit paranoid.

She stretched her legs Knowing the ship would dock soon with her true destination. Sal was an idiot for using the same ship twice, for trying after Tomoyo, and for taking her brother. His essence practically screamed at her as she sat waiting.

The ship lurched as it docked, but Sakura didn't read that to know, she could feel Touya's anger in her very bones. And that man was mad, mad enough to kill anyone. She slipped silently by the empty boxes, noting the largeness of the hold. The other men had cleared the ship and the docking bay. Not that she couldn't slip passed them, but with them already gone, things flowed more easily.

There was no time to prepare anything to knock out the guards or create a distraction. She would have to rely on speed and secrecy to carry out this mission. Not the ideal situation. One thing though was good, Touya's anger was getting closer and growing.

"Get your bloody hands off me! I can walk just fine on my own!" The Prince's voice carried over the clang of metal. "Let go!" He jerked his arms up and shook off the others. "Where's that pompous bastard Sal? I want to talk to him!"

"You're going to, but I suggest you lose that attitude before you meet him or he might just cut out that pert tongue of yours."

Touya glared his own retort. "You'll regret this!"

One, two, five, six, only six guards surrounded him, but doubtless more waited around the corner. The again, a better chance probably wouldn't come around. She slipped silently from behind the ship trying to catch Touya's eye without attracting the attention of the guards. Unfortunately, he didn't take the hint.

She drew her sword and took a deep breath, timing was crucial. The first guard passed by her hiding spot rather stupidly not seeing her. Slowly all of them filed by, each as unobservant as the last.

Sensing the last one, Sakura thrust her sword out hitting the man's shoulder. "Damn it!" And the fight began.

Her odds didn't look too good at six to one but as more men entered the dock, those odds started to look even worse. "Your Highness!" He nodded and together they broke from the guards.

"Get them! Kill her!"

The men leveled their LOW riffles at Sakura and opened fire. All of her agility and speed came into play as she dodged the attacks and ran to the nearest ship. They'd almost reached their destination when a stray laser pierced Touya's ankle. He stumbled and then fell with guards clamoring to pull him back into custody.

Sakura ran back and hauled him up using her shoulder for leverage. "Come on Your Highness, we can't give up yet!" Together they hobbled the last twenty feet to the ship as only two more shots were fired.

But reaching the ship was only half their battle.

"Can you fly the ship?" Sakura asked while helping him into the pilot's chair.

"Well, I have some training, but—"

"Good, you rev the engines while I get those blast doors open."

"But I don't—"

"Prince Touya, please just do as I say." He nodded and Sakura took a deep breath. "I'm going to blow a hole in the wall, a very big one so we need those engines working now."

Outside the guards were busy locking down the dock to prevent their escape. It never crossed their minds that Sakura would pull out the missiles, or that she would aim them at the weakest part of the wall and fire. She blew a very large hole in the wall and at first nothing happened.

"Go!" Sakura shouted. "Go!"

The shot towards the hole, watching in horror as the guards burst before their eyes, exploding from the inside. And then they had left the ship making the rescue complete.

"Sorry about the rush, but I didn't know how diffusion would occur inside the ship. Apparently it just bothered the gas particles in the bodies." Sakura leaned back in her chair. "Now, we can wait."

Touya took his hands off the consoles. "Who are you? And how did you come to rescue me?"

"My name is Sakura and the whole story is rather complicated. I was traveling with Tomoyo and her—well guardians for the moment—Syaoran and Eriol. We were attacked by the same men who kidnapped you and I got on their ship after Syaoran defended ours. That's the simple explanation."

"If that's true, how did you know to come rescue me?"

Silence engulfed them.

"I live in the palace and have seen you many, many times although you have never seen me."

"How is that relavant? The same can be said for half the servants." She stared at him as if horrified by the interruption. "Why is it that your spirit is so familiar?" Are you the one they say who lives in the walls?"

"I am, and your powers have hit the mark again. My spirit should be very familiar to you, Brother."

"Brother? You must be mistaken!"

Sakura leaned over her knees and started breathing deeply in through the nose, out through the mouth, in out. "It is a long and forgotten tale, although many people tell it. The new princess, the seer, the prophecy, a mother's anger, and a father's distress, all that is known. But did the seer really leave the babe alone or did she take things into her own hands and perhaps switch two children? Perhaps she formed collusion with a new cook, and together it wouldn't have been difficult to find a time alone with the girl, to sneak in another who looked a lot like the princess, and take the Princess into hiding. But then, maybe not."

Touya stared at her, deep in those pale, pale green eyes of hers, his spirit reaching and gently meeting hers. "Oh sister, how could I have not known it at sight?"

She reached out and ran her hand across his cheek. "I'm just glad you know me now, dear brother."

Several hours later Eriol maneuvered the Angel to the ship slowly approaching them. "Well, do we attack or open lines of communication?"

Syaoran peered closer at the screen. "It looks like they ran out of fuel."

Another face popped up on the screen. "Hello? Could you please come and get us?" Prince Touya asked in a rather annoyed tone.

"Uh-uh, yea, Your Highness." Eriol stuttered.

"Touya? Oh Touya!" Tomoyo ran into the room. "Is she there? Is she safe?"

A frown crossed his face. "Sakura's fine; she's sleeping right now, but just fine."

Tomoyo let out all her worry in one gigantic breath. "Thank you! Thank you so much!"

The two ships connected through the cargo holds and together Sakura and Touya limped onto the other ship. Tomoyo ran to her brother sobbing happy tears before glomping Sakura in a similar embrace.

"Don't you _ever_ do that to me again. Do you hear me Sakura? Don't you ever leave like that again!"

Sakura smiled weakly. "Well, I couldn't very well let Sal keep him, now could I? Please take care of that ankle quickly, Touya, before an infection sets in."

He nodded and shifted his weight to Tomoyo's shoulder, and they hobbled down to the common room. Syaoran noticed Sakura's exceptionally pale skin and bright green eyes. She breathed heavily, her facing losing more color and gaining sweat. By the second, the wounds in her leg and arm, the wounds she so diligently tried to hide from those around her, twinged painfully. Hoping Syaoran would leave soon, she tried to stand a little straighter, but ended up falling helplessly on him. "Sorry," she mumbled.

"I suppose you're not going to tell me how you knew Sal had the Prince."

She smiled. "It would take an awful lot of explaining."

"Doesn't everything?" Syaoran started to pull her up.

"Owwww!" Sakura clutched her arm. "That's the place to start I guess. Two laser shots hit me, one in the arm and the other in the leg."

Drawing a dagger, Syaoran moved to cut the sleeve of her shirt. "We'd best take care of those wounds then."

She stilled his hand. "Don't, I—I can do it later." Her lids dropped lazily over her eyes. "I just need some sleep…" Her voice trailed off.

Syaoran's eyes softened as she slept, curled up like a cat in his lap. Awake and moving, her face had a happy driven look as if she wanted to experience life so fully that it slowly sucked everything out of her. But in sleep, Sakura somehow managed to look older and younger at the same time, as if only in sleep could she truly relax. She glowed.

Gingerly he cut off the sleeve and looked at the wound. It looked as if she had no blood. As if the wound had not started clotting. But then the cloth felt stiff as if caked with the stuff. Syaoran sniffed the fabric and then the wound. It had the same sweet scent as the Blue Death. "Magic."

He finished wrapping the wounds and carefully lifted her, taking as much care as he would with a glass child. And Sakura played the part, curling cozily in his arms and her hand clutching needily at his shirt. As he laid her on the cot in Tomoyo's room a small whine escaped her and she clung more heavily to him. With a sigh, Syaoran unbuttoned his shirt and chuckled as she clutched it greedily to her face.

"Sleep well, little one."

"Stop Tomoyo." Touya took the bandages from her trembling hands. "I can do this better then you."

"I'm sorry, we don't have anything for the pain Your Highness." Eriol said. "But we'll be at Aisha soon and can get you some there."

"It's alright, I can barely feel the pain anyway." He smiled.

"Touya, I was wondering, how did Sakura know about your kidnapping? How does she always know?"

"You do know that she loves us like family and more? Well, remember that time you cut your hand?" Tomoyo nodded at his words. "Well, she took some of your blood and mixed it with her own and she did the same to me."

"It's a very old kind of magic." Eriol said without looking up from the controls. "She put the two of you inside her and so she can sense you to a very great degree. But I don't understand, it takes an awful lot of magic to do something like that."

"She's sleeping so please try to keep your voices down." Syaoran slumped down in an abandoned corner. Tomoyo and Touya chatted quietly, their voices low and soothing to Syaoran's troubled mind. Eriol hummed a repetitive ditty under his breath as he steered the ship closer to Aisha.

An hour later, Syaoran rose from the corner and walked to the door. "Someone should wake Sakura." He said and left.

She sat up as he entered the room. "So you know now." She touched the bandages. "Thank you."

He sat on the bed next to her and pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "I don't understand, that makes you the Princess."

Tomoyo ran through the doorway and knelt in front of the bed. "Finally, someone else knows; the truth has come out!" She cried excitedly.

"At my birth, the seer switched us; two babes that looked almost identical." Sakura sighed heavily. "It was a difficult decision to make, but one I put my full faith in. Tomoyo makes an excellent Princess."

Shaking her head, Tomoyo brushed off the compliment. "Maybe now you'll see reason, and we can put you in line for the throne."

"No." Sakura said to softly for anyone to hear.

Eriol leaned against the door frame. "You have to take your place in the royal family!" He bounced on the balls of his feet. "The people have a right to know the real Princess!"

"He's right Sakura." Syaoran took her hands in his. "The public doesn't like a dishonest government."

"Then don't put me on the throne!" Sakura cried yanking away her hands. "They have their Princess and a very good one at that! I can count those who know on two hands, and only one have I actually told. Besides, how would you prove it?"

"Your blood," Eriol stated bluntly.

"That proves nothing. So an old seer made a prediction. She could have been wrong and the blood born in a commoner. I will not replace Tomoyo; the people know and love her, not so with me. I'm just a rumor in the castle walls."

"Sakura," Tomoyo bowed her head to hide the tears.

"I'm sorry, but it's not the life for me anyway. I would make a very bad Princess."

Everyone stared at her, not expecting that answer, but somehow not surprised either. "Well, Eriol said at last. "We'll be landing soon and I should probably—yeah." He stepped out into the hall.

"If that's what you want Sakura, I'll accept it." Tomoyo gave a formal curtsey. "But you will always be my Princess." She also made an exit.

Syaoran remained seated next to her. "Putting you on the throne never would have worked anyway; the people love Tomoyo too much." He stood up to leave.

"As do I." Syaoran expected to see tears in Sakura's eyes, but only a sad smile graced her beautiful and cold face.

"Welcome to Aisha!" Eriol exclaimed gesturing around at the barren desert. "Ain't it a beauty?"

"Yeah," Touya said sarcastically.

The wind picked up, throwing sand in everyone's faces. "Why are we here?" Tomoyo asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Because legend says this is the resting place of the last Dragon Egg." Touya squinted against the sand. "What? I did my research."

Sakura ignored the conversation around her. Eyes closed, face turned towards the wind, she drowned out their words and voices listening only to her own.

Syaoran shook his head. "We really need to sit down and work through all the legends to figure out what we all know." He glanced at the people hurrying about their day. "But first we need to get our story straight. Tomoyo, you and Eriol just got married; same for Sakura and me. Touya is a business partner. We've all come here to take care of some trade and celebrate the weddings. Sakura herself is particularly interested in—"

"The Lost Tomb." Sakura opened her eyes. "The burial site of the Egg."

"Right, the Lost Tomb and we're humoring her. Got it?" Everyone nodded. "Okay, remember, we just got married!" Syaoran took Sakura's hand in his own and smiled. "Let's find a place to stay."

They walked down the dusty street as people avoided looking at the strangers. Sakura clung closely to Syaoran, her eyes downcast and arm throbbing. Tomoyo and Eriol didn't even touch, preferring to engage Touya in small talk about spices.

At the end of the street, Syaoran and Sakura found a small inn, so small it didn't even merit a name. "Well, I guess we can stay here for the evening."

Sakura nodded, strangely fearful.

Together the couple stepped through the door. "My companions and I require a place to stay for the evening." Sakura continued to stare at the floor and let Syaoran do all the talking.

The clerk looked up and scowled at Sakura and Syaoran's linked hands. "We're a bit full, but if you require a room for a short amount of time, there's a place down the road."

Eriol chose that moment to step through the door, just as the clerk was reaching for some paper. "Oh good, you made it Syaoran. Did you get rooms next to each other? My wife will simply be desolate without her dearest confidant!" He winked at the desk clerk. "You know how picky wives can be."

He gave Syaoran and Eriol a strange look, not even noticing Touya in the background. "I believe two connecting rooms upstairs are open." He fished around in the desk drawer. "They're up the stairs and at the end of the hall on the right." The keys clanged on the counter and the host mumbled to himself. "Damn newlyweds."

Syaoran took the keys and made for the stairs. Eriol tried valiantly not to laugh, but that wide and often times creepy smile of his never left his face. Upstairs in the hall, he lost the battle and burst into almost hysterical laughter. And then Tomoyo caught his giggling fit and the both collapsed, clutching each other helplessly.

"Come on you two, it really wasn't that funny." Syaoran rolled his eyes and unlocked the first room.

Sakura peered into it and then sighed. It wasn't much to look at, plain adobe walls, brown rug on the floor, and a double bed pushed into the corner.

"You've been awfully quiet since we landed." Tomoyo gave Sakura a quick hug and then held up her nose at the dirty room. "You mean we're actually staying here?"

"We're here to discuss plans, not on some wonder vacation." Syaoran glared and plopped down on the floor. "You can all take a seat."

Eriol found himself a spot up against the wall and leaned back while Tomoyo snatched a pillow from the bed. She placed it ceremoniously on the floor and carefully arranged her skirts so she didn't have to touch the dirty floor. Touya made himself comfortable on the bed, sharing Tomoyo's dislike but hiding it better. Sakura leaned heavily against the door sweat dripping down her face although no one noticed.

"Now, we're all heard the tales of the Princess, the Dragon Tamer, and the Royal Imposter, and I think it's safe to say I'm the Dragon Tamer, Sakura's the Princess, and Tomoyo's the Royal Imposter."

"No, that's not right. You're looking at it only one way Syaoran." Touya said. "The Royal Imposter could mean someone posing as a royal or a royal posing as someone else." Eriol studied the floor guiltily.

Suddenly Sakura knelt and clutched at Syaoran, her eyes wide and lacking in color but not fearful. "The man downstairs makes a call. The phone rings once, twice. _'Good sir, may I speak with Ali Tutman, tell him it's Guyton.'_ He waits. And angry voice comes on the line. He screams and shouts. _'You tell me that blasted Syaoran has come back here! Again! Why I ought to skin him alive!' 'Should I kick them out, sir?' 'No! No, detain them. I'll send my guards.' _The conversation ends."

Everyone stared.

Sakura blinked, the green slowly leaking back into her eyes. Or was it the silver leaving? She sat up and reconginized the looks of surprise, the open mouths, narrowed eyes, and pale faces with color rushing back in to fill their cheeks. "No. No, no, no, no, NO!" With that last cry she scurried from the room and into the hall.

Silence enveloped the room.

"Shouldn't someone go after her?" Tomoyo asked, not making a move to get up.

Both Eriol and Touya nodded and looked at Syaoran who groaned. "Fine, but you had better start planning. We need to get out of this city and to the Lost Tomb." He too stepped into the hall.

Muffled sobs and a weepy Sakura greeted him. "It's begun. It's really happening!" She whispered.

"Sakura, can you tell me about it?"

Her head shot up, and she ran a sleeve across her eyes. "I didn't expect you to come."

Syaoran knelt down next to her. "I don't know what's going to happen. I'm not a seer, but I do know this, I will protect you Sakura. I will make sure nothing happens to you. No one will ever be able to hurt you. You will survive this."

His words brought comfort to her heart. "Promise me, when this is all over, you'll leave me here and take the others back home. Promise me!" The tears fell even harder down her cheeks.

"I promise."

**(I was going to end the chapter here, but because I haven't updated in such a long, long time, I decided to continue a bit farther).**

"We're going for a walk." Eriol announced authoritatively. "We ought to see a bit of the local color, and it's a nice day."

"This isn't the time to be sightseeing!" Tomoyo shouted. "We have a major problem on his way here right now!"

"Here's your coat Tomoyo." Sakura smiled brightly and cocked her head to the right. "Our men folk know what they're doing and we trust them." She held out a hand. "Come on Syaoran. We'll meet you downstairs."

Hand in hand, Sakura and Syaoran left and Touya quickly followed leaving Tomoyo to stand with Eriol.

"There's something not right with her." Tomoyo muttered. "And I don't like this." After glaring at the door she turned to Eriol. "Some times I fear for her and I just can't explain why."

He tucked her hand in the crook of his arm and gave it a pat. "We'll all watch over her, that I can promise you."

"My good sirs! How nice of you to visit!" The hotel host cooed, revealing the tension in the room. "My Lord, these are a few of my guests." He practically glowed.

"We've met." Two voices growled in unison.

"Oh, no," Eriol moaned and hurried down the stairs. "Ah, hello Ali! We haven't spoken in such a long time. How are you?"

"Eriol, it's good to see you again." But Ali's eyes never left Syaoran. "What brings you here?"

"That's none of your business. We're here and that's all you need to know."

"Syaoran!" Sakura stepped between the two men, disrupting the glare. "They've come at my request." She gave one good look at Syaoran who immediately turned away. "We've come to resurrect the old magic."

Ali moved to stare at Syaoran. "Last time we spoke, you refused your heritage and said you would never bring forth the Dragon."

"It seems my Dad's death has finally caught up with me." Syaoran managed to lift his head. "I was only eleven at the time anyway."

"A caravan heads to the shrine today. You'll have to hurry to catch them."

Syaoran nodded. "We need to get some supplies." He nudged between two guards by the door. "We don't have all day you know."

"Good Luck!" Ali called as they left.

The city didn't bustle as it had when they'd first arrived, and many of the shoppers bought what looked to be traveling supplies. Most of the shop keepers had water and non-perishable goods out.

"Now, we need to stick together and find—where'd Sakura go?" Syaoran demanded eyes scouring the square.

"Excuse me," She walked over to a nearby stall. "Excuse me, would you know which caravan is heading to the shrine? Sakura directed the question to the vender.

"We're not taking on passengers." A younger man glared at her. "What do I owe you?" He pulled out a few wooden coins and slammed them on the table before walking away.

"Perhaps you'd make an exception for us?" Sakura followed him across the market unaware of Touya trying to catch her.

He whipped around. "No! I—" the boy noticed her silver tinited eyes. "I'm terribly sorry Priestess!" He bowed low enough to lick the sand. "Please forgive my rudeness; we would be honored to have you join us."

"Since when did people start calling Sakura priestess?" Eriol whispered to Tomoyo as they ran up to her side.

"I am Zalton, and you must be the companions of the Priestess. The pleasure is mine." Zalton nodded deeply to each one of their group.

Syaoran scouted towards Eriol. "I don't like him."

"You don't like anyone." Eriol mumbled back. "It's very nice to meet you, Zalton. So, you're traveling with the caravan?"

Zalton puffed out his chest. "My uncle _owns_ the caravan. It's a _family_ business." His supierior attitude caused Syaoran to bristle indignantly. "I shall speak with him on your behalf."

"How generous of you." Syaoran grumbled as the group paraded through the market towards the city gate.

**Well, I hope you all don't want to kill me for taking so long to update. The good news is I think we're getting close to the end! R&R!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Sakura is a Priestess on Aisha because the magic flows through her veins. If Tomoyo had had the magic, then the people would've called her Priestess. No,Sakura is not all three (Princess, Royal Imposter, andDragon Tamer). This may have been confusing, but Sakura is the Princess, Syaoran the Dragon Tamer (it's in his blood), and Eriol the Royal Imposter. Tomoyo is the Decoy, kinda like what Queen Amadala does in Star Wars Episode 1.Does that clear up all the questions?**

**Chapter 8**

Syaoran tightened the last strap on his camel and looked farther up the line. The children bunched around Tomoyo excitedly as she helped dole out the last of the morning fruit. She smiled and giggled as they pulled at her clothes and begged.

"Looks happy, doesn't she?" Eriol sighed and leaned against the pack animal. "She'll make a great mother one day."

"It looks to me like your infatuation has progressed into outright liking." Syaoran made a triple check on the harness and tried to enjoy the nice morning.

"Like you have room to talk Mr. Oh-let-me-help-you-with-that-Sakura and Here-I-found-this-would-you-like-it?" He taunted. "At least Tomoyo can reciprocate."

When Syaoran walked away without even bothering to retort, Eriol knew he'd gone too far. "Sorry man, I didn't mean—"

"Stop, you only spoke thee truth." Syaoran leaned down and picked up some bags of spice to load onto the camel. "And by the way, Sakura can feel emotions, just not with that magic running rampant through her veins." He shoved the bags into Eriol's arms. "Take care of that for me." Syaoran left in search of Sakura.

He found her on a sand dune not too far away watching over the entire train/ Her eyes lingered on Tomoyo and Touya who just appeared out of the kitchen tent bearing more flat bread. Mothers bellowed for children to get their packs and other belongings while fathers finished checking the camels. Those eyes contained no hint of color.

"She and I have an accord." The wind tugged at her voice, and Syaoran could have sworn her heard his Sakura's giggle. But it disappeared before he could catch it. "I will rule this body during the day without her interference if she might rule when the sun goes down. It is not greatly desirable to either of us, but then no compromise is."

"Why don't you just take over and never relinquish?"

Syaoran found himself faced with those chilly white eyes of pseudo-Sakura. "I may lack a heart, but I am not cruel, thank you very much Syaoran."

The wind tugged at her tough clothes and pulled strands of her hair from her braid. And it spit sand in her face as if angry.

"Then-then will I see her for dinner tonight?" He felt as though he was asking permission to date Sakura.

"Oh you silly boy," She placed a hand on his cheek and closed her eyes. "Sakura says 'I can't wait to eat with you.'" And then the moment of warmth disappeared.

"Let's join the caravan; they'll be pulling out soon." Syaoran nodded towards the beginning of the line. "Zalton's uncle offered you a ride on his camel."

"Do I not have two good legs? Can I not use them as every other person here can?" She stepped briskly down the dune. "I will walk thank you very much."

He shook his head and withheld a laugh. Amazing, two such different beings both held the same view. Sakura and the magic had that one thing in common, and if Syaoran was right, they probably shared many other traits too.

Eriol kept close to Tomoyo as the caravan continued its trek towards the Shrine. Sharing meals, sleeping in the same tent, pretending to be her husband certainly had its perks. Although Touya had a nasty habit of shooting him dirty glares. But then, he had disappeared for the day soon after the train started up.

A small child tugged on his pant leg. "Hey, mister, can you tell us another story? Please?" He begged.

The other children circled around like vultures ready to strike their prey. They ranged from the small age of still sucking on a thumb all the way up to donning the veil. One little boy looked up at Eriol with great bid round eyes and looked as if he might burst into tears if Eriol dared to even think the word no.

"Alright." Eriol pretended to be irritated, but was secretly pleased. "Where did I leave off yesterday?"

"You were going to tell us about the Evil Sal and how you rescued the Beautiful Princess!" A little girl, probably eight or nine, jumped up and down excitedly.

"Ah yes," Eriol scratched his chin as if recalling the story. "But we'll need the help of my Tomoyo for this tale; only she knows the beginning." He looked over at the cart where Tomoyo sat, and the children bombarded her with hopeful stares.

"Fine, fine, fine you munchkins, the tale starts in the Beautiful Princess's birthday. And there was going to be a magnificent ball with lots of food and wonderful gowns all to celebrate…" The girls listened enraptured with the descriptions of jewels and decorations. They waited with bated breath as Tomoyo told about the lively music and swishing dances.

On the other side, the boys scuffed their feet along the ground trying to wait patiently for Eriol's turn to tell the action. "Well, the door slammed shut, and Syaoran and I spun around hoping to catch the intruder. But you must remember, Syaoran doesn't have the same amount of grace that I do, and he fell with a loud thump on the floor!"

All the children laughed at his description of the _clumsy_ Syaoran. They finished the tale just as mothers began calling for the mid-day meal. The children rushed off. Repeating their favorite parts and racing each other to eat.

"I don't think Syaoran would appreciate the way you portray him. It's not exactly accurate." Tomoyo smiled down at him from her seat in the cart eyes laughing.

"Someone has to play the comic relief, and I'm the hero. Besides," He pulled Tomoyo from her seat and twirled her before setting the flushed girl on the ground. "What Syaoran doesn't know can't hurt me." He winked.

Tomoyo shook her head at his arrogance and then leaned against him. "Thank you Eriol, thank you for bringing me along."

"Well, we couldn't very well leave you behind noiw could we?" Eriol slid his arm around her waist and hugged her close, noting how her head fit neatly underneath his. "I would miss you too much."

"Uh, mister Eriol sir," the children reappeared. "Tell us another one!"

Syaoran walked away from the flickering firelight and loud conversations intent on getting a moment to think. Somehow this whole adventure had gotten messed up on so many levels. Sakura, Tomoyo, and Eriol weren't supposed to get mixed up in his search for the Egg. The Princess wasn't supposed to play decoy and put herself in a lot of danger. Eriol wasn't supposed to get involved with Palace life again. And Syaoran, he really wasn't supposed to fall for Sakura.

He sat down on a sand dune just breathing deeply, breathing and thinking.

"The sunset is so beautiful." Sakura sat down next to him, eyes as green as ever. "I've never seen anything so-so wonderful." She sighed contentedly and leaned against Syaoran.

"Everything about this trip is so screwed up." He rubbed his forehead. "First Tomoyo yelled at me and my reasons. She even called me selfish. Then you showed up and almost immediately disappeared again. We got saddled with the Prince and-and—" he turned and looked at her. "The magic is taking over you."

"Look." Sakura pointed at the caravan below them. "The children are still mobbing poor Eriol, and Tomoyo can't contain her giggles. They look so free, so happy." She sighed heavily and played absently with the sand. "It's obvious that they can and will do great things together. They choose this adventure."

Syaoran glanced at her sideways, taking in her slumped shoulders and downcast eyes. "You're free too you know, perhaps more so then them. Or are you still hiding something from us?"

"Hiding? No, I'm not hiding it, but neither am I telling. This magic can take over my body whenever it wants without warning." Sakura picked up his hand and ran her fingers across it. "If the magic took me now, I could see hear all of that. But I wouldn't understand the warmth from your hand, discomfort, or pleasure. Emotions wouldn't exist; everything that makes me feel alive gone."

Syaoran pulled her against him, holding her tight and desperate for the feel of her.

"I lied," she said softly. "I didn't come for Tomoyo. I mean, I did, but this quest will remove the magic." She looked up and Syaoran caught the full blast of love in her eyes. "I fear for those who've come with us, especially Tomoyo. I'm a risk."

They watched in silence as the sun finished setting. Syaoran flat out refused to release Sakura, and after one half hearted attempt to sit up Sakura gave in to his comfort. Together, they enjoyed half an hour of calm.

"Hey Mister Syaoran! Priestess! Ain't you hungry? Dinner's down by the fire!" A small kid, maybe six or seven, ran up over the dune. "Ohhhh! Missus Eriol's Wife was wrong! You two ARE married!" He drew out the words and sang. "I'm gonna tell, I'm gonna tell!"

Sakura laughed, a sound Syaoran relished in. "Come on, we'd better go clear up those facts he's bound to get wrong." And Syaoran followed her down the hill grinning.

Eriol passed the jug of sweet wine to Syaoran, who took a long swig. "Zalton says we're making excellent time. We should make it to the Shrine sometime early tomorrow."

He nodded absently while staring at the flickering flames. "Do you ever get the feeling that this is all too easy? Like we're overlooking something?"

"Just enjoy this Syaoran. We all know it can't last forever." Eriol stood up. "Now is you don't mind, there's a beautiful Princess over there, and I'm going to go talk to her."

Syaoran watched his friend walk away. "Talk, unlikely, but you'll probably still use your mouth." He finished off the wine and plopped the jug down in the sand.

People around him chatted softly and laughed brashly, fires crackled, and the air smelled of spiced wine. Somehow Syaoran ended up with another, more potent bottle of wine even though he's picked that particular spot for its lack of people. A group of children ran by laughing and chasing a ball.

And then she appeared, melting out of a group of women. Syaoran promptly forgot what it meant to breathe and think for that matter. Sakura glided towards him, burgundy skirt hung low over her hips and accenting the sinewy way they swung back and forth. His eyes moved slowly upwards across the flat plain of her belly up to the start of her ribs and the sleeveless matching top. Her hair burned an alluring shade of red in the firelight.

She smiled sweetly, and Syaoran remembered to breathe. Of course he sucked his breath rasping, but he could breath. "Wow, you-you—"

Sakura spun around and grinned mischievously. "Speechless?"

And she was right; he couldn't make his mouth work. "Uh—gah—" Syaoran ran his tongue across his lips and managed to spit out one word. "Dance?"

"Uh-huh" she nodded and pulled him up. A goofy smile twirled across his face as Syaoran slipped across the sandy ground.

They joined a line of dancers around one of the larger fires. Sakura grinned and grabbed his hand before starting her own saucy moves. Her hips swayed, arms flowed, and Syaoran felt as though the moment would last forever. As the music slowed, he captured one of her arms and reeled Sakura in close. She snuggled against his chest and Syaoran wrapped his arms protectively around her.

"Syaoran," she whispered and turned her head upwards. "Syaoran? Will you promise me something?"

"Anything you want."

"When all this is over, I'd like to stay here a while. Will you still watch over me?"

They left the light and the sounds behind, and Syaoran placed her hand across his heart. "You've done something to me Sakura, and now I won't ever leave you." He leaned down and sealed the promise with a kiss.

**It's winding closer and closer to the end! R&R**


	9. Chapter 9

**I feel compelled to explain something to all of you lovely readers. You will not like this chapter, and when I wrote it the first timeneither did I. You're not alone. Keep reading even through the author note. If you don't you'll really hate me, but it won't be my fault.**

**Chapter 9**

By morning Sakura had lost her body again and the magic would only speak of it's excitement of the closeness of the Lost Tomb. She sat by the ashes of last night's fire, nibbling on bread and murmuring annoyingly to Syaoran. He crunched his fruit angrily, not having slept well the last several nights. Thoughts of Sakura and dancing plagued him throughout this early morning.

"Chief! Chief! Chief!" A guard only half dressed came running up the caravan as if all his personal demons gave chase. "We've lost all seven guards from the dawn watch!"

Zalton's Uncle popped out of his tent, hurriedly straightening his own clothes. "I want a complete inventory: people animals, supplies, and merchandise!" He bellowed and tied his robe.

Sakura continued gnawing at her bread, and Syaoran dropped his pawpaw. Men and women started about their day, each given some list of things to do. The children huddled together in different tents, too sleepy to understand the dilemma. Only Sakura remained at her original task.

"Syaoran! Syaoran! We've got a problem! I can't find Tomoyo!" Eriol came running up the line, stumbling in his hurry. "You-you haven't seen her, have you?"

Syaoran suddenly felt every thing in his stomach turn to rock. "Sakura, please tell me where Tomoyo is."

She lowered the bread and closed her white eyes. "I'd think that answer obvious. Sal made the raid last night and took her. He hasn't made good time getting away though; Tomoyo causes a lot of trouble for him."

The green blazed through her eyes, and she jumped up. "We have to—" but the words ended abruptly by a clatter of new sounds, rather like two people trying to speak out of one mouth. "Must stay rescue Tomoyo egg danger protect my everything fault stupid girl—" She danced around, one moment flailing her arms wildly and the next still as stone.

"Sakura! Sakura!" Syaoran clung to her shoulders and forced her to look at him. Swirling green and white eyes met his brown ones. "The magic's right; we need to get that egg first. But we won't leave Tomoyo behind. Eriol and Touya can rescue her while we visit the Shrine."

She nodded mutely, still clearly angry at the less then satisfying solution. Her eyes slowly cleared of their color. "We'll have to move quickly."

Finger print bruises littered Tomoyo's arms and she rubbed them lightly. Five unsuccessful, very stupid escape attempts failed, each bruise an almost painful reminder that she had to get away.

Tomoyo peeked through a hole in the side of the tent at her guards. They hadn't moved from the four corners, not even to scratch. Good. She darted between the cloth doors and ran for freedom, determined to make it one step farther then last time. Her tracks ended almost fifty feet from the caravan, and now she wanted fifty-one.

The guards noticed almost immediately the escaped captive. "You can't get away Princess! We'll just catch you again!"

But Tomoyo didn't hear. She lifted her skirts high as she reached step fifty and turned to look at her pursuers. Twenty feet behind, Tomoyo continued her wild dash for freedom all the way until step fifty-seven.

They surrounded her on all sides, and Tomoyo slumped in the sand. "Stop this foolishness Princess! Those men wanted to kill you! Don't you understand that?"

She looked up, eyes fierce and determined, but she refused to stand. "You're an idiot Sal, sure as Tomoyo's my name. Syaoran and Eriol wouldn't hurt me, and you know it! So stop this charade!"

"Pick her up and tie her up in the tent. I do so hate to do this Princess, but it's for your own good." Sal's handsome face stood out among his hardened men. "Those men are dangerous. Now, please, be good; these attempts are very tiresome and fruitless."

'They're supposed to me.' Scowling, Tomoyo submitted to the rope and walked with her head held high. Time to plan for step fifty-eight.

Half-way back, she turned back to admire her effort and give one more wistful sigh at her true goal. The rocks nearly a hundred yards away would make a good place to hide. A glint caught her eye and she whirled back around thinking.

If she hadn't imagined it, and there actually was a glint, then something had to make the light reflect like that. And that mean—"Eriol!" She whispered and slumped back into the tent.

And of course, Eriol mean rescue.

Sand shuffled across the ground, due mostly to Syaoran and Sakura's foot steps. The sun radiated its obscene heat, and Syaoran found himself longing for the ice moon of Iaga. "How much farther?" He asked, remembering the way the freezing wind had nearly ripped his skin off.

"There." She pointed to a few stone structures jutting out of the ground. "Those ruins mark the entrance to the Shrine."

"As if you can really call those rocks ruins." Syaoran mumbled, suddenly understanding why Eriol grumbled all the time. Sakura stopped moving and looked down at her feet. "What'd'ya stop for?"

"A back door, this entrance is closer to the egg, and doesn't contain booby-traps." She explained.

Giving her an odd look, Syaoran crouched down by her feet and inspected the sand. He brushed it away hastily and pulled up the stone barrier only a centimeter or two down. It moaned as old gears sprung into life, and Sakura dropped silently into the black hole.

Syaoran peered into it and didn't see anything. "Eriol would call this a repeat of the blue mist fall." Sakura's footsteps grew faint. "Ah, damn it all." He jumped and ran to catch up to her fast pace.

Cool, worn stone, musty air, and the charged feeling, they were all more then slightly familiar. "Aren't these the same tunnels as those in the palace?" He asked.

"The first Princess, after returning from here, could not live in that world any longer. She felt as if the very air rejected her, much as Sakura on occasion felt. Because of that, the old Princess had to tunnels made. One day, you too, may seek refuge there. "The pseudo-Sakura stopped suddenly. "This is the point of no return. Once we pass this threshold, the future is set in an unstoppable motion. Can you handle the consequences of this venture?"

Looking a little pale, Syaoran nodded. "Yes, I can."

"You are very brave to accept that which you cannot yet understand. Sakura wishes to tell you something. She says be careful and continue to go forward; she would choose to do that too." The magic paused. "No! I will not do that you silly girl—alright—Alright! Fine! I'll tell him. She says that when all this is over, remember your promise and that she has something to give you. Yuck! Humans!"

"Thank you for the message." He walked passed her and gingerly pushed open the door. As calmly as possible while visibly shaking, he walked into the room, unable to explain the fear in his bones.

Syaoran ran his hands along the wall as he walked the circular perimeter. Intricate carvings meant for seeing and touching spiraled their way across the walls. They told the history of the land starting at the very beginning with the first human and ending with the placement of the Last Dragon Egg. Syaoran felt the sorrow, pain, and joy made in each chip of the chisel.

"Wow!" He hardly dared to think about the historical wonders around him. It didn't dawn on him to wonder why he needed to come to the room.

Sakura allowed a smile to cross her lips as she walked towards the very center of the room. A block of marble served as an altar and as her destination. She bowed respectfully to it and removed the simple dagger from its place on the altar. Right next to it sat the Egg on a silken pillow. Sakura ran her fingers across the fist-sized smooth shell.

"Such a small thing for such a big dragon." In one smooth movement she sliced the egg and her wrist. "Let's get you out of there."

The blood pooled and drop by drop splashed on the floor while the dragon slowly pecked away at the shell. Sakura knelt down before the altar and held out her hands as if making an offering. Peck, peck, plop, plop, the tiny dragon barely three inches in length hopped down. Her long tongue flicked out and liked the blood from the floor.

A moan and a crunch jerked Syaoran's attention from the walls, and he flipped around in time to see the dragon bite eagerly into Sakura's wrist. The blood in his veins froze as the dragon devoured her flesh and blood. He ran to Sakura's side.

"This—this is the way." She opened her eyes and Syaoran could see the magic draining. "I was—was the guardian and—and now I return it." She withheld a second cry, and Syaoran cradled her body in his arms as the dragon continued to consume the cursed blood.

Syaoran felt his own blood vibrating at the very end. Sakura screamed a wail that buried itself in his heart, a wail that even after the end would continue on.

"That's the third escape attempt in the last hour. The steps end about a hundred feet away. What's the plan?" Touya badgered Eriol. "She's too erratic to count on and we need to act!" If Eriol hadn't been sitting on the hem of his shirt, Touya would have jumped up and given away their position.

"Calm down, we'll get Tomoyo, in three minutes you leave from that end of the rocks and I'll go from the other."

"And then what?"

"Then," Eriol gave him the hairy eye. "We get Tomoyo and get the hell out of here."

Touya didn't dare retort for fear of losing his head or another important piece of his anatomy. At the third minute they both ran towards Sal's camp, throwing caution to the wind whistling in their ears.

The guards chasing after Tomoyo (who was attempting step seventy-one) froze when faced with two hundred pounds of angry male testosterone. Fists, feet, and the occasional head but had the guards moving in all kinds of directions including straight up. And Tomoyo didn't even notice until she reached eighty-five.

Neither Eriol nor Touya had a weapon, but it didn't matter. And when Tomoyo realized what had happened, she managed to throw in the occasional good punch. But the damaged done by Touya and Tomoyo together and multiplied by two couldn't compare to Eriol.

He saw a guard raise a club behind Tomoyo, and Eriol briefly lost touch with his humanity. Kicking, tearing, biting, Eriol took on the characteristics of a mother lion defend her children. With that much anger, he did at least six times the damage of anyone one else. Of course it helped that he also lost control of his magic. The men with clubs suddenly became his personal play toys, and not the kind a mother would approve of.

"I'll kill her!" Sal shouted over the din. "I'll kill her, and you'll never find that stupid Egg!"

Everyone ceased fighting and dropped their weapons at Sal's words. Tomoyo laughed, her giggles echoing flatly around the group. "You fool, you giant stupid fool." She couldn't control her laughing, and Sal dropped her. "Oh did the Sear manage to best you! Have you ever wondered why I don't resemble the King and Queen?"

The stares grew more and more amazed as she laughed harder. Sal started muttering under his breath, and Eriol beamed like the proud lover he was. Touya managed to look pleased but still vicious.

"The Princess and I were switched at birth." Tomoyo grabbed the blade from Sal's hand and sliced three of her fingers. "Red, red blood, you great—" she grinned and wiped her fingers across his shirt. "You great bloody fool." She stood and walked over to Eriol and Touya.

"Where's Syaoran?" Sal bellowed. "Where's Syaoran?"

Eriol responded by smugly displaying his middle finger for Sal as they disappeared into the desert.

"Damn it!" Sal's voice chased them into the distance. "Damn it!"

The people all over Aisha celebrated that night. Somehow they all knew the Second Age of Magic had arrived. For a thousand years they had waited, and Syaoran did not begrudge them the party. But he would have none of it, not the food or drink, the loud noises or bright fires.

Touya, Eriol, and Tomoyo had recently returned and were enjoying the fun outside. He could hear them through the tent, Touya joking with the guards and Eriol telling an exaggerated version of Tomoyo's rescue, ending of course in a passionate kiss. Tomorrow. Tomorrow, Syaoran would have to tell them, but tonight he would let them have their happiness.

He smoothed Sakura's hair, noting the fading red in her cheeks and lack of movement in her muscles. Beautiful and lively to contained and sophisticated to cold and lifeless in twenty-four hours. Life had been too cruel to Sakura. A few tears and sobs too soft to be heard over the commotion outside stood as his last testament to her selfless sacrifice.

Cold hands, cold face, Syaoran laid down next to her cold body and cried for the lovely flame she had once been. After twenty minutes, he dried his face and scooped her into his arms. Together they took one last journey into the desert, one last trip together.

**See, I told you. You hate it, don't you? I figured y'all would, so I tried to write a "Part 2"...note the word tried...it didn't turn out very well. I got very frustrated because by this point I had realized something and thus the epiloge!**

A young woman sat on a sand dune, watching the sunset and looking pensive. Her face was contorted into an odd expression of thankfulness and longing. Two years she had passed on Aisha, two years to heal the pains of her past, two years to adjust to her new life, two years to remember. Many of the strains of her old life had eased away in the wind. 'Yet, still some scars would remain, possibly forever.' She thought and looked down at the fading marks on her wrists.

The wind carried a voice over the hill. "It appears that-"

The woman quickly turned around and barreled into the man. "Syaoran!" Oh! You came back! Oh!" She clung to his neck. "I missed you."

"I've only been gone a few days, silly! Didn't you believe me?" He swung her about and laughed. "The wedding was beautiful. Tomoyo sends her love, and Eriol asks if you've scared the life out of old Hakkim yet? I haven't seen him yet...you didn't do anything...did you?"

And then there was a sound not so rare as it once was, but still breath taking. Sakura laughed. "Not much." She smiled and whispered in his ear, just likeany other young woman.

**So, what do you think? Good? Bad?...all of you who read but didn't reveiw, this is your chance to speak up!**


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